ft 


ORNAMENTAL  TREASURES 

A  COLLECTION  OF  DESIGNS  FROM  INDIA, 
CHINA,  JAPAN, ITALY,  GERMANY,  FRANCE  ETC. 
OF  ALL  STYLES  AND  TIMES  COMPRISING 

100  PLATES 

WITH  EXPLANATORY  LETTERPRESS 
BY 

H.DOLMETSCH 


NEW  YORK 

PUBLISHED  BY  R.  DAVIS,  BOOKSELLER  &  IMPORTER 

41  WEST  42D  STREET 


FIRST  ENGLISH  EDITION   1898;  SECOND 
ENGLISH  EDITION,  REVISED,  1912. 


Printed  by  Hoflmann,  Stuttgart. 


List 


Plate 

Egyptian. 

Painting  and  Plastic  Art   i 

Architecture,  Painting-   2 

Assyrian. 

Painting,  Polychrome  Sculpture,  Pottery  .  3 
Greek. 

Ornamental  Architecture  and  Sculpture    .  4 

Polychrome  Architecture   5 

Pottery   6 

Roman. 

Ornamental  Architecture  and  Sculpture    .  7 
Pompeian. 

Mosaic  Floors   8 

Wall  Paintings,  Polychrome  Basso  Relievos  9 

Bronzes   10 

Chinese. 

Painting   11 

Painting,  Weaving,  Embroidery,  and  l^namel  12 
Japan. 

Lacquer  Painting   13 

Weaving,  Painting,  and  Enamel  .    .    .    .  14 
Indian. 

Metal  Work    15 

Embroidery,  Weaving,  Plaiting,  Lacquer 

Work   16 

Metal  Work,  Embroidery,  Weaving,  Painting  1 7 

Inlays  in  Marble   18 

Persian, 

Architecture   19 

Pottery   20 

Weaving  and  Illumination   21 

Metal  Work   22 

Arabian. 

Ceramic  Decoration   23 

Weaving,  Embroidery,  and  Painting     .    .  24 

Ornaments  in  Wood  and  Metal  ....  25 

Illumination  of  Manuscripts   26 

Arabian-Moresque. 

Architectural  Ornaments   27 

Mosaic  Work,  Glazed  Tiles   28 

Moresque.  ' 

Architectural  Ornaments   29 

Turkish. 

Architectural  Ornaments  in  Glazed    Clay  30 
Celtic. 

Illumination  of  Manuscripts   31 

Byzantine. 

Glass  Mosaic,  Coloured  Enamel,  Illumination  32 
Incrusted  Enamel,   Marble  Mosaic,  Glass 

Mosaic    33 

Weaving,  Embroidery   34 

Russian. 

Manuscript-Painting   35 

Architectural  Ornaments  and  Wood  Carvings  36 
Enamel,  Majolica,  Paintings  on  Walls  and 

Ceilings,  Japanned  Woodwork  ....  37 
Northern. 

Wood  Carving  •   ...  38 

Byzantine  and  Middle  Ages. 

Architecture  and  Sculpture   39 

Middle  Ages. 

Enamels  and  the  Illumination  of  Manuscript  40 

Wall  Painting   41 

Stained  Glass   42 

.Stone  Mosaic   43 

Wood  Mosaic   44 

Stained  Glass   45 

Ornamental  Architecture  and  Sculpture     .  46 


Plate 

Middle  Ages. 

Weaving,  Embroidery,  Enamel,  and  Poly- 
chrome Sculpture   47 

Illumination  of  Manuscripts   48 

Ceiling  and  Wall  Painting    49 

Italian  Renaissance. 

Glass  Painting   50 

Polychrome  Pottery   51 

Ornamental  Painting   52 

Intarsia,  or  Wood  Mosaic   53 

Painted  Ceilings   54 

Laces   55 

Embroidery  and  Carpet  Weaving     ...  56 

Sgraffito,  Marble  Mosaic,  and  Stucco  Reliefs  57 

Ceiling  and  Wall  Painting   58 

Illumination,  Weaving,  Marbte,  Mosaic     .  59 

Pottery  Painting   60 

Plastic  Ornaments  in  Marble  and  Bronze  61 

Ceiling  and  Wall  Painting    62 

Works  in  Precious  Metals  with  Paintings 

in  Enamel   63 

French  Renaissance. 

Typographic  Ornaments   64 

Block  Printing,  Embroidery   65 

Carpet  Painting   66 

Plastic  Ornaments  in  Stone  and  Wood    .  67 

Painted  Ceilings   68 

Weaving,  Embroidery,  and  Book  Covers  .  69 
Wall  Painting,  Polychrome  Sculpture,  Wea- 
ving, and  Book  Covers   70 

Gobelin  Tapestry   71 

Enamel  on  Metal,  Pottery  Painting,  and  Metal 

Mosaic   72 

Ornaments  on  Wood  and  Metals  etc.  .    .  73 
German  Renaissance. 

Ceiling  and  Wall  Painting,  Wood  Mosaic, 

and  Embroidery   74 

Stained  Glass  Painting   75 

Metal  Work   76 

Polychrome  Plastic  Work   77 

Ornaments  for  Book  Covers   78 

Embroidery  and  Weaving   79 

Typographic  Ornaments   80 

Polychrome  Plastic  Work   81 

Plastic  Ornaments  in  Stone  and  Wood     .  82 
Wall-Painting ,  Plastic  Ornament  in  Stone 

and  Wood   83 

Ceiling  and  Wall  Painting   84 

Cartouches  and  Works  in  Precious  Metals 

with  Enamel   85 

XVI^^  XVIII*\  XIX*h  Centuries. 

Gobelin  Tapestry  and  Book-Binding     .    .  86 
Embroidery,  Leather  Tapestry,  Goldsmith's 

Work   87 

Metalwork  and  Woodcarving   88 

Parquetry  or  Mosaic  Floors   89 

Plastic  Ornaments   90 

Painting,  Leather  Tapestry,  Stucco  Orna- 
ments   9  ^ 

Painted  Plasterwork   92 

Gobelin  Tapestry   93 

Plastic  and  Painted  Ornaments   ....  94 

Lace  Weaving,  Embroidery   95 

Metal  Fittings   9^ 

Wall  Painting  and  Ceiling  Decoration      .  97 

Gobelin  tapestry  and  lacework    ....  98 

Metal  Ornaments   99 

Silk  Weaving   100 


For  Index  of  Subjects  see  next  page. 


Index  of  Subjects. 

(Tlie  numbers  are  tliose  of  the  plates.) 


Acroteria.  4. 

Anthemion  decorations.  4. 

Architecture.   2.  4.   5.   7.    iS.   U).  29.  36.  38.  39. 

Architecture,  polychrome.  5. 

Ba.s.so  relievo.s,  polychrome.  9.  57. 

Block  jjrinting.  65. 

Book  binding.  69.  70.  78.  86. 

Bricks,  glazed.  3. 

Bronzes.  10. 

Candelabra.  7.  12.  52. 

Capitals.  2.  4.  7.  27.  29.  38.  39.  46.  61.  67.  82.  90. 

Carpet  painting.  66. 

Carpet  weaving.  56. 

Cartouches.  77.  85. 

Caryatides.  4.  67. 

Damascened  work.  15.  22. 

Embroidery  12.  16.  17.  24.  34.  47.  56.  65.  74.  87.  95. 
Enamel,  cloisonne.  12.  14. 

Enamels.  12.  14.  17.  32.  33.  37.  40.  45.  47.  63.  72. 
Engraved  -  work.  73. 
Faience.  19.  30.  51.  65.  72. 
Glass  mosaic.  32.  33. 

Glazed  tiles.  19.  20.  23.  28.  30.  37.  43.  51.  60. 
Gobelin  Tapestry.  71.  86.  93.  98. 
Goldsmith's  work.  40.  63.  85.  87. 
Grisaille.  45. 

Illumination.  21.  26.  31.  32.  35.  40.  48.  59. 

Initials.  31.  40.  4S.  59.  64.  80. 

Intarsia.  53.  73.  74.  89. 

Ivory,  inlaid.  73. 

Lace.  55.  95.  98. 

Lac(|uer  painting.  13.  i6.  17.  37. 

Leather  tapestry.  87.  91. 

Linen  embroidery.  74. 

Majolica.  37.  f)0. 

Marble,  inlaid.  iM.  57. 


Marble  mosaic.  59. 
Marble  ornaments.  18.  61. 
Metal,  inlaid.  22.  73. 

Metal  work.   10.  13.  15.  17.  22.  25.  33.  37.  61.  63. 

72.  73-  76.  85.  87.  88. 
Mosaic  floors.  8.  33.  43.  57. 
Mosaic  work.  8.  28.  33.  43.  44.  57.  59.  89. 
Niello  work.  57. 

Ornament.  4.  5.  7   27.  29.  30.  46.  64.  67.  73. 

81.  83.  94. 
Ornament,  plastic.  56.  62.  67.  77.  82.  94. 
Ornament,  typographic.  35.  59.  64. 
Painting,   i.  2.  3.  9.  11.  12.  14.  17.  24.  41.  49.  52. 

54.  58.  62.  66.  68.  70.  74.  81.  83.  84. 
Plaiting.  16. 

Plastic  art.  i.  27.  29.  61.  67.  77.  81.  82.  83.  90.  91. 
92.  94. 

Plastic,  polychrome,    i.   3.         65.  72.   76.  77.  81. 

83.  94. 
Porcelain.  14. 

Pottery.  3.  6.  20.  51.  60.  65.  72. 
Precious  metals,  enamelled.  40.  63.  85.  87. 
Robbian  ware.  51. 

Sculpture.  3.  4.  7.  15.  39.  46.  47.  61.  67.  82.  94. 
Sculpture,  polychrome.  3.  47.  70. 
Sgraffito.  57. 

Stained  glass.  42.  45.  50.  75. 
Terra  cotta.  5.  6. 
Typographic  ornaments.  64.  80. 
Tapestry.  71.  86.  93.  98.  100. 

Wall  and  ceiling  painting.  9.  37.  41.  49.  52.  54.  58. 

62.  68.  70.  74.  S3.  84.  97. 
Weaving.  12.  14.  16.  21.  24.  34.  47.  56.  59.  69.  70. 

71.  79.  95.  98.  100. 
Wood  work,  inlaid.  -14.  53.  73.  74.  89. 
Wood  decorations.  25.  36.  37.  53.  67.  77.  82.  84.  88. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/ornamentaltreasuOOdolm 


EGYPTIAN 


.1 


PAINTING  AND  PLASTIC  ART 


Plate  I 


Egyptian. 

Painting  and  Plastic  Art. 


he  mode  of  decoration  with  the  Egyptians,  the  most  ancient  of  civilized  nations,  comprises 
figure-subjects  chiefly  in  conjunction  with  hieroglyphics.    Columns  and  walls  were  used  to  write 

a  pictorial  chronicle  of  religious  and  every-day-life.  The 
figure  representations  on  the  outer  walls  of  Egyptian  buil- 
dings consist  of  very  flat,  frequently  painted  reliefs,  called 
coilanaglyphs.  The  contours  are  deep  cut,  the  object  is 
treated  plastically,  but  in  such  a  way,  that  the  most  pro- 
minent parts  remain  on  the  same  plane  as  the  surface  of 
the  wall.  Plate  i  Fig.  i .  The  paintings  themselves  are 
carried  out  in  flat  tints  without  any  modelling  at  all,  they 
have  sharp  contours  and  show  a  rich  and  harmonious 
combination  of  colours. 

From  the  vegetable  and  animal  kingdoms  in  Egyptian 
ornamentation  the  most  frequently  employed  are:  the  lotus 
flower,  (an  attribute  of  Isis  and  a  symbol  of  the  generating 
power  of  nature);  the  Nymphaea,  the  papyrus,  the  reed  etc.; 
moreover  the  ram ,  the  sparrow-hawk  and  especially  the 
dung-beetle  —  Scarabaeus  —  PI.  I  Fig.  2.  Another  symbol, 
frequently  used,  is  the  winged  disk  of  the  sun.   PI.  2  Fig.  2. 

The  capitals  in  PI.  2  show  also  the  application  of  the 
above  mentioned  vegetable  motives,  viz.  Fig.  3  of  the 
papyrus,  Fig.  4  a  capital  composed  of  buds,  the  shaft 
representing  a  bundle  of  wood-stems.  Fig.  5  palm-leaves 
and  Fig.  6  a  bud  of  the  papyrus. 


symbolic 
thereon 


Fig.  12. 
„  17- 


Fig.  I.    Painting  of  figure  from  a  column  of  the  temple 
at  Denderah. 
.,     2  and  3.    Paintings  from  mummy-cases. 
„     4  and  5.     From  a  mummy-case  in  the  Louvre,  Paris. 
„     6.    Painted  border  from  sarcophagus. 
„     7.     Border  from  a  mummy-case.  British  Museum,  London. 
„     8.    Ornament    on    a   wooden   sarcophagus.  British 
Museum. 

Border  on  a  mummy-case.    British  Museum. 
Portion  of  a  border.    British  Museum. 
Painting  on  a  sarcophagus.    British  Museum. 
Dado  with  designs  of  lotus  and  papyrus;  above  model  of  flat  ornament, 
to  16.    Painted  flat  ornaments  and  borders. 

Painted  vulture  holding  two  feather  insignia,  the  emblems  of  supreme  power. 


9- 
10. 
1 1 . 


17- 


Plate  2. 


Egyptian. 

Architecture  and  Painting. 


1.  Pylon  (entrance-gate)  with  figure  representations  and  hieroglyphics.    Louvre,  Paris. 

2.  Cornice  of  the  entablature  of  the  great  temple  at  Philae.    Sculpture  and  painting. 

3.  Capital  from  the  temple  at  Luxor,  representing  full-blown  papyrus.     1200  B.  Chr. 

4.  Capital  from  a  temple  at  Thebes.    (Lotus  bud.) 


10.  II. 


5.  Capital  from  a  j^ortico  at  Edfu.    (Representing  a  palm-tree.) 

6.  Capital  from  Thebes,  12  B.  Chr.    Represents  a  lotus  bud. 

7.  Munimy-case-painting. 

8  and  9.  Tile  designs.  Paintings  from  tomb-chambers.  Louvre,  Paris. 
10  and  1 1.    Painted  columns  with  entablature. 


EGYPTIAN 


aRCHITEC 


ASSYRIAN 


1000 


>>>>>>>>> 

it 

m 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>/> 

9 

1.1 


1 


/Pi 


PAINTING,  POLYCHROMR  Srt'LPTURF  POTTrRV 


Plate  3. 


Assyrian. 

Painting.  Polychrome  Sculpture,  Pottery. 


he  excavations  on  the  banks  of  the  Tigris  at  Khorsabad,  Nimroud  and  Koyunjik  brought  to  light  a 
great  number  of  architectural  remains,  paintings  and  sculptures  of  Assyrian  origin,  which  give  us  an  idea 
of  the  magnificence  and  the  exuberant  luxury  of  the  buildings  of 
this  nation.  Assyrian  ornament  certainly  betrays  Egyptian  influence, 
but  there  is  no  denying  its  originality.  Besides  geometrical  figures, 
such  as  interlacements,  zigzag  lines,  rosettes,  etc.  animal  and  vege- 
table motives  are  used  in  sculpture  and  painting.  Frequently  we 
find  even  the  so-called  sacred  tree  (Fig.  11  and  12),  mostly  as  bas- 
reliefs  and  painted,  further  winged  griffins,  lions  and  bulls  with 
human  faces.  The  winged  male  figure  in  the  midst  of  our  plate 
symbolizes  the  soul.  For  wall-facing  glazed  bricks  frequently  were 
employed  and  painted  with  regular!}'  repeated  figure-subjects  or 
with  interlacing  designs. 


Fig.  I.    Portion  of  a  glazed  brick  from  a  palace  at  Khorsabad 
„     2  —  4.    Painted  bas-reliefs  from  Koyunjik. 
„     5.    Painted  ornament  from  Nimroud. 
„     6.    Glazed  brick  from  Khorsabad. 
„     7 — 10.  Painted  ornaments  from  Nimroud. 

Fig.  II  — 12.    Sacred  trees 
„     13.    Painted  ornament  from  Nimroud. 
„     14.    Enamelled  brick  from  Khorsabad. 

„     I'.    Assyrian  king  from  a  bas-relief  at  the  Louvre,  Paris 


15- 


Painted  bas-reliefs  from  Nimroud. 


Plate  4. 


Greek. 

Ornamental  Architecture  and  Sculpture. 

Cjreek  ornament  preserves  for  ever  a  classical  value,  chiefly  because  the  Grecian  artists  knew  how  to 
adapt  the  decoration  to  their  artistic  productions  in  such  a  way,  that  it  nowhere  overpowers  the  construc- 
tive groundwork,  but  rather  accompanies  it  in  beautiful  lines  and  forms.  Thus  the  fundamental  form 
remains  visible  in  its  distinct  substantiality,  only  relieved  all  the  more  by  the  ornament.  Whether  you 
look  on  the  magnificent  works  of  architecture  or  on  the  simplest  objects  for  domestic  use,  produced  by 
the  Greeks,  you  will  find,  that  all  these  works  strike  and  surprise  the  beholder  by  their  high  perfection 
of  form  and  their  sublime  beauty. 

Fig.  I — 3  show  examples  of  the  three  forms  of  development  of  Greek  architecture:  of  the  Doric, 
Ionic  and  Corinthian  styles. 

The  calm  simplicity  of  the  Doric  capital  expresses  the  purpose  of  supporting,  and  its  forms  put  us 
in  mind  of  the  severit}'  of  the  Doric  race.  Fig.  2  shows  elegance  and  perfect  grace,  in  conformity  with 
the  character  of  the  lonians.  But  in  the  exuberant  forms  of  the  Corinthian  capital  that  love  of  splendour 
is  represented,  which  from  Corinth,  the  rich  trading-place,  spread  over  all  Greece. 

Fig.  4  .shows  one  of  those  noble  virginal  figures,  used  instead  of  columns  in  the  Caryatide  porch 
of  the  Erechtheum. 


Fig.  I.    Doric  capital  from  Paestum  (with  painted  ornament). 
„     2.    Ionic  capital  from  the  Erechtheum  on  the  Acropolis  of  Athens. 
„     3.    Corinthian  capital  from  the  Choragic  Monument  of  Lysicrates  at  Athens. 
„     4.    Caryatide  figure  from  the  Erechtheum. 
,,     5  and  6.    Acroteria  from  stelae  (sepulchral  columns),  Paris. 
,.     7  —  9.  Anthemion-decorations. 

„  10  and  II.    Griffins.    Portions  of  friezes. 

„  12  and  13.    Trazephonc  in  the  National  Museum  at  Naples. 

„  15  and  16.    Trazephoroe  in  the  British  Museum  at  London. 

,.  17.    Pilaster  capital  from  the  Temple  of  Apollo  at  Miletus. 


ORNAMENTAL  ARCHITECTURE  AND  SCULPTURE. 


GREEK 


mm 


2. 


8. 


U. 


13. 


l^nVTF  ARCTITTRCTURE 


Plate  5. 


Greek. 

Polychrome  Architecture. 


R 


late  5  shows  a  number  of  remains  oi  polychrome  (many-coloured)  mouldings.  These  forms  are  in  general 
the  same  conventional  ones  as  we  find  in  plastic  ornament  and  likewise  in  the  decorations  of  vases  on 
Plate  6.  (Meanders,  heart-shaped  leaves,  ovolos,  palmettes,  anthemion-decorations,  etc.)  It  cannot  new  be 
questioned,  that  formerly  colour  was  used  in  architecture ;  in  fact,  as  the  plastic  ornaments  were  not  seldom 
treated  in  a  very  fiat  way,  they  could  hardly  do  without  polychromy  for  producing  an  effect  at  long  distances. 


17 


Fig.    I.  Polychrome  cyma  (ogee)  with  lion's  head  from  Selinus. 

2.  Acroterium  from  a  temple  at  Athens. 
3 — 6.   Painted  cornices  from  the  Propylaea.  Athens. 

7.  Ornament  of  an  anta-capital  from  the  temple  of  Theseus.  Athens. 

8.  Ornament  from  a  temple  at  Selinus. 
g.  Frieze  of  the  temple  of  Jupiter  at  Aegina. 

10.  Cyma-ornament  from  the  Parthenon. 

1 1 .  Ornament,  found  at  Palazzolo. 
12  and  13.   Fret  meanders. 

14.  Decoration  of  coffers  (caissons),  British  Museum,  London. 

15.  Panel  of  metopes  of  baked  clay,  found  at  Palazzolo. 

16.  Panel  of  coffers  from  the  Propylaea. 

17.  Terra-cotta  slab. 


Plate  6. 


Greek. 

Pottery. 

It  was  the  Greeks,  who  raised  pottery  to  a  fine  art.  Whereas  in  Egypt  the  labourers,  a  lower  caste, 
were  charged  with  making  the  earthenware  goods,  which  certainly  were  only  used  for  domestic  purposes 
or  as  a  cheap  substitute  for  precious  vessels,  the  Greek  potters,  on  the  contrary,  were  so  higly  estimated 
that  medals  were  struck  and  monuments  erected  in  their  honour. 

Vessels  formed  by  hand,  with  plastic  decorations,  are  very  rare  with  the  Greeks.  The  introduction 
of  the  potters  wheel,  already  mentioned  by  Homer,  took  place  in  prehistoric  times.  Proofs  of  this  kind  of 
fabrication  have  also  been  found  in  the  ruins  of  ancient  Mycenae  and  Crete. 

The  oldest  Greek  vases  are  most  simply  decorated ;  on  a  light  (white  or  yellowish)  ground  colour 
of  clay  brown  bands,  circles,  squares  etc.  used  to  be  painted.  But  soon  they  appear  also  with  friezes, 
decorated  with  figures  of  animals. 

Subsequently  figure  representations,  treated  after  a  scheme,  appear  between  bands :  undulating  lines, 
heart-shapes  and  laurel  leaves,  meanders  etc.  but,  as  before,  dark  on  a  light  ground  with  frequent  employ- 
ment of  white. 

In  the  zenith  of  Greek  ceramic  art  the  colouring  of  the  ground  and  of  the  ornamental  and  figure 
representations  underwent  a  change.  The  orange  colour  of  the  clay  was  spared,  the  back  ground  filled  with 
black.   The  figures,  drawn  with  the  brush,  show  much  firmness  and  a  noble  elegance.   Fig.  lo. 

Then  followed  a  polychrome  period  which,  without  doubt,  must  be  called  the  decay  of  Greek  pottery. 
The  colours  now  were  used  in  larger  masses,  especially  light-yellow,  gold-yellow,  blue,  violet,  even  gold. 


Fig.  I  —  9.   Forms  of  Greek  vases. 

I.   Amphora,  vessel  for  oil,  wine,  etc. 
,,     2.   Cylix,  drinking-cup. 
,,     3.    Urn,  a  cinerary  vessel. 
,,     4.   Oenochoe,  wine-can,  pouring-vessel. 
,,     5.   Ilydria,  vessel  for  carrying  water. 
,,     6.   Deinos,  crater,  vessel  for  mixing  wine  and 
water. 

,,     7.   Lecythus,  vessel  for  anointing-oil. 
,,     S.   Cantharus,  two-handled  drinking-cup. 
,,     9.    Rhyton,  drinking-vessel. 


Fig.  10.   Female  figure  on  an  Amphora  in  the  National 
Museum  at  Naples. 
,,    II  —  17.   Greek  frets. 
,,    18.   Wave  borders. 
,,    20,  21.   Rosette  borders. 
,,    22,  23.   Ivy  buds. 
,,    24,  25.   Anthemion  borders. 
,,    26-29,  32-   Palmette  borders. 
,,    30,  31.   Olive  leaf  borders. 
)5    33)  34-   Ornaments  from  vases. 
,,    35.   Painting  from  the  interior  of  a  cup. 


GREEK 


|BiigMEjiHij  iMgiBiaig.  OIF 


15. 


16. 


17. 


16. 


20. 


^^^^     ^^^^  ^^^^ 


2  2. 


ri(ir#r*i  


19. 


p  -^rv  -j^v  -J^ 

\.< 

/. 

',// 

1 

/• 

.V 

^. 

II 

30. 


O  O  • 

o  o  o 
..o  o.. 


-31. 


ft 


ORNAMENTAL  ARCHITECTURE  AND  SCULPTURE. 


1 1. 

Plate  7. 

Roman. 

Ornamental  Architecture  and  Sculpture. 

T 

J.  he  Romans,  for  want  of  artistic  talent  of  their  own,  seemed  mainly  dependent  on  Greek  and  Etruscan 
art,  but  instead  of  the  classical  pureness  of  form  characteristic  of  the  latter,  an  exaggerated  decorative 
treatment  is  frequently  met  with  in  Roman  work. 

In  accordance  with  their  love  for  pomp  and  splendour  the  Romans  had  a  predilection  for  the 
Corinthian  order,  the  capital  of  which  they  sometimes  elaborated  with  very  fine  artistic  feeling,  for  instance 
in  the  Pantheon  at  Rome,  Fig.  i  ;  whereas  the  form  of  the  so-called  Composite  capital,  Fig.  3,  exhibits, 
on  the  contrary,  a  mechanical  mixture  of  the  Corinthian  and  Ionic  styles.  —  An  abundance  of  other  Corin- 
thian-like capitals,  which  we  shall  meet  again  in  the  Renaissance  period,  with  dolphins,  winged  horses,  etc., 
in  the  place  of  volutes,  prove  the  extravagant  imagination  of  their  inventors. 

In  Roman  ornament  the  different  forms  of  leaves  often  are  idealised  in  such  a  rigid  manner,  that 
their  natural  origin  is  hardly  to  be  recognized.  Most  frequently  employed  was  the  acanthus-leaf,  but  with 
its  rounded  points  and  fuller  forms  it  appears  much  less  fine  and  delicate  than  in  Grecian  art.  Besides 
this  we  find  oak-leaves,  laurel,  pine  apples,  vine-leaves,  palm,  ivy,  aloe,  convolvulus,  corn-flower,  poppy,  etc. 
alternately  in  bold  execution,  enlivened  by  a  rich  di.splay  of  flowers,  fruits  and  figural  decorations. 


Fig.  I.     Corinthian  capital  from  the  Pantheon  at  Rome. 
„     2.    Head  of  a  candelabrum  from  the  Vatican  Museum. 
„     3.    Composite  capital  from  a  temple  of  Juno  at  Rome. 

„     4.     Fragment  of  a  frieze,  found  in  the  Villa  of  Hadrian  at  Tivoli,  now  in  the  Lateran  Museum 
at  Rome. 

„     5  and  7.    Rosettes  from  the  Vatican  Museum. 
„     6.    Fragment  of  a  frieze  from  Rome. 

„     8  and  1 1 .    Bases  of  columns  from  the  later  Roman  period. 

„     Q  and  10.    Members  of  cornices  from  the  ruins  of  the  Imperial  palaces  on  the  Palatine. 
„    II.    Ornaments  from  a  marble  chariot  in  the  Vatican  Museum. 


Plate  8. 


Pompeian. 

Mosaic  Floors. 


]\/Iosaic-work  probably  had  its  home  in  the  East.  This  technical  branch,  considerably  improved  by  the 
Greeks,  was  carried  at  last  to  the  culminating  point  of  perfection  by  the  Romans,  who  produced  not  only 
geometrical  mosaic-work,  such  as  that  found  in  so  many  floors  excavated  at  Pompeii,  but  also  flowers,  animals, 
still-life,  human  and  divine  beings,  even  complete  pictures,  the  latter  being  probably,  for  the  most  part, 
imitations  of  Greek  originals  no  longer  existing. 

Regarding  the  material,  stones  of  different  colours  were  generally  employed,  chiefly  marble  (seldom 
glass-pastes).  In  mosaic  floors  made  of  plates,  Fig.  2  and  3,  there  is  a  great  variety  in  the  forms  of  the 
plates,  whereas  in  mosaic  proper,  little  stones,  embedded  in  baton,  were  arranged  into  interesting  carpet- 
patterns  or  figure  representations.  Fig.  i  and  4 — 10.  Mosaics  of  this  kind  were  also  applied  to  walls 
and  vaults. 

In  a  later  period  motives  like  that  on  Plate  5,  Fig.  13,  with  a  tendency  to  relief-like  appearance, 
were  frequently  used  for  floors,  proving,  that  the  taste  of  that  period  was  already  decaying. 


Fig.  I.    Mosaic  frieze  in  the  house  of  the  Faun  at  Pompeii. 
„     2  and  3.    Mosaic  floors  in  the  Palatine  Museum  at  Rome  (drawn  by  H.  Dolmetsch). 
„     4  and  5.    Mosaic  floors  from  the  Hunting  Villa  at  Fliessem  near  Trfeves. 
„     6  and  7.    Mosaic  floors  from  Pompeii  (drawn  by  H.  Dolmetsch). 

„  8,  9  and  10.  The  same  from  the  Thermae  of  Caracalla  at  Rome  (drawn  by  H.  Dolmetsch). 
„   II  and  12.    Mosaic  floors  from  Pompeii  (after  Niccolini). 


MOSAIC  FLOORS 


Plate  9. 


Pompeian. 

Wall  paintings  and  Polychrome  basso  relievos. 

T^e  wall  paintings  found  at  Pompeii,  Herculaneum  and  Stabiae  as  well  as  at  Rome,  serving  in  the  first 
place  for  decorative  purposes  only,  give  us  some  idea  of  the  lost  Grecian  painting;  for  probably  most  of 

them  are  reproductions  of  originals  of  Greek  masters,  although  they 
are  executed  in  a  free-hand  manner  and  impressed  with  the  splendour- 
loving  spirit  of  the  Romans.  —  These  pictures  are  usually  painted 
al  fresco  in  cheerful  colours  by  mere  artisans,  but  with  admirable 
artistic  feeling  and  bold  mastership. 

The  apartments  of  the  Pompeian  houses  are  all  without  win- 
dows; the  walls,  being  covered  with  lofty  architectural  designs, 
suggest  the  idea  of  increased  size  of  the  room.  They  are  divided 
into  a  dado,  a  middle  and  an  upper  compartment.  The  dado  generally, 
has  a  black  ground  with  simple  ornaments  or  linear  decorations; 
the  purple,  green,  blue  or  yellow  ground  of  the  middle  space  is 
enlivened  with  one  or  more  figures,  landscapes,  etc.,  between  pretty 
ornamental  borders.  The  upper  space  is  mostly  white,  enlivened  with 
graceful  scenes  in  various  colours.  There  are,  however,  apartments, 
the  walls  of  which  begin  with  yellow  dados  and  terminate  with  black 
friezes.  Besides  very  rich  arabesques,  there  are  garlands,  fruit, 
masks,  candelabra,  animals,  suspended  arms,  etc.  which,  imitating 
nature  with  great  fidelity,  arrest  the  eyes  of  the  beholder.  —  The 
most  favourite  plants  were  ivy  and  vine-branches,  laurel,  myrtle, 
cypress,  olive  and  palm. 

The  walls  usually  terminated  at  the  top  in  a  small  painted 
stucco -cornice,  from  which  the  ceiling  rose.  The  latter,  frequent- 
ly vaulted,  was  decorated  with  graceful  variegated  .linear-ornaments 
on  a  light-coloured  ground,  or,  often,  with  coloured  stucco. 


Fig.  I.   Wall  painting,  representing  a  figure  of  Victory,  from  Pompeii. 

„  2  and  3.   Colonnettes,  in  the  Museum  at  Naples. 

„  4  and  5.   Borders  from  Pompeii. 

„  6.   Frieze  from  Pompeii  (drawn  by  H.  Dolmetsch). 

„  7 — 12.   Borders  from  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii. 

„  13  and  14.   Painted  dados  from  Pompeii. 

„  15  —  20.    Cornices,  executed  in  stucco  and  painted,  Pompeii  (drawn  by  H.  Dolmetsch). 

„  21.   Fresco  painting  from  Pompeii  imitating  architectural  features. 


Plate  lO. 


Pompeian. 

Bronzes. 


T 

JLhe  National  Museum  at  Naples  as  well  as  the  collections  at  Florence  and  other  places  in  Italy  afford 
a  full  survey  of  the  smaller  works  of  art  and  industry  produced  by  the  ancients.  Contemplating  the  bronzes, 
down  to  the  meanest  objects  for  daily  use,  one  cannot  but  be  filled  with  admiration  for  their  noble  and 
beautifully  balanced  shapes  which  interfere  not  at  all  with  their  practical  usefulness. 

There  are  candelabra,  lamps,  little  lamp- 
stands,  most  of  them  in  tripod-form,  vases,  uten- 
sils for  cooking,  eating  and  drinking,  in  which 
the  free  and  vigorous  form  of  the  profile  and 
especially  of  the  handles  and  ears,  was  carried 
to  great  perfection ;  there  are  couches,  coal-pans, 
theatrical  masks,  armour  and  many  other  objets, 
all  of  which  emit,  as  it  were,  the  fresh  breath  of 
Grecian  beauty,  equally  manifest  in  that  wise 
moderation  almost  throughout  observable. 

The  bronze  statuettes  are  composed,  as  a 
rule,  of  several  separately  cast  pieces,  and  many 
of  them,  on  account  of  their  highly  artistic  form, 
may  fairly,  be  reckoned  among  the  best  produc- 
tions of  the  ancient  world. 


Fig.  I.     Bronze  helmet  with  embossed  figures, 
in  the  Museum  at  Naples. 
„     2  and  3.   Two  lamps  (lucerna),  in  the  Museum 
at  Naples. 

„    4  and  5.   Great  candelabra,  in  the  Collection 

of  the  Louvre  at  Paris. 
„     6  and  8.   Great  candelabra  in  the  Museum 
at  Naples. 

„     7.   Side-view  of  the  head  of  the  candelabrum 
Fig.  6  (enlarged). 

„     10.   Two-armed  small  candelabrum  with  figure  of  Silenus  at  Naples. 

„     II.   Bisellium,  seat  of  honour  for  magistrates,  beautifully  profiled,  in  the  Louvre  at  Paris. 
„    12  and  13.   Tripods  from  Herculaneuui,  in  the  Museum  at  Naples. 
„    14  and  15.   Bronze  masks,  being  fragments  of  decorations,  at  Naples. 
„     16  and  17.   Handles  of  mirrors  found  at  Hildesheim. 
..     18.   Goblet  without  handle  found  at  Hilde.sheim. 

„    19.  Two  handled  goblet  with  symbols  to  the  cult  of  Bacchus;  found  at  Hildesheim. 


19. 


Fig.   9.   Candelabrum-head,  at  Naples. 


POMPEIAN 


CHINESE 


11 


2o^cpEccD0cgpocopa:s^=^^^  /^^r\    /^"^r\   /^^r\  / 


V 


13. 


PAINTING 


Plate  1 1. 


Chinese. 

Painting. 

In  very  early  times  the  Chinese  had  already  attained  a  high  degree  of  perfection  in  the  art  of  decoration. 
But  they  did  not  go  beyond  that  point,  and  for  many  centuries  their  system  of  ornamentation  shows  no 
progress  at  all,  without  mentioning  that  their  modern  productions  are  mere  imitations  of  ancient  subjects, 
often  calculated  to  deceive. 

Most  remarkable  however  are  their  painted  porcelain  vases.  They  are  generally  bounded  with  borders, 
among  which  the  meander  pattern  in  various  forms  predominates.  Fig.  9,  10,  11,  and  the  upper  part  of 
Fig.  4  represent  some  of  the  few  conventionally  treated  examples  of  such  borders.  On  the  faces  of  these 
vases  we  find  geometrical  patterns,  as  well  as  flowers,  fruit  and  every  kind  of  plants,  some  of  them  grace- 
fully idealizing  the  forms  of  nature,  others,  copying  them  with  anxious  minuteness.  All  these  ornaments 
cover  the  vases  either  in  continuity,  or,  more  frequently,  they  are  irregularly  and  capriciously  scattered 
over  them,  sometimes  still  enlivened  by  human  figures  and  animals.  The  principal  native  plants  used  for 
decorative  patterns  are  the  leaves  and  flowers  of  the  tea-shrub,  roses,  camellias,  melons,  etc. 

Finally  the  whole  receives  a  splendid  impression  from  the  peculiar  brilliancy  of  the  Chinese  porcelain- 
enamel,  the  colour  of  which  is  not  a  pure  white,  as  in  our  representation,  but  always  somewhat  greenish. 


Fig.  1  —  5  and  9  — 13  borders;  Fig.  6 — 8  continuous  patterns  of  painted  China  vases,  the  greater 

part  of  which  are  to  be  found  in  the  Victoria  and  Albert  Museum,  London. 
In  Fig.  I  an  inclination  towards  Persian  manner  is  to  be  observed  in  composition  and  character. 
The  yellow  colour,  used  in  Fig.  4,  6  and  10,  is  gold  on  the  original  objects. 


Plate  12. 


Chinese. 

Painting,  Weaving,  Embroidery  and  Enamel. 

A  fantastic  mixture  of  patterns  is  characteristic  of  Chinese  painting,  although  this  peculiarity  is  somewhat 
compensated  for  by  the  richness  and  successful  combination  of  the  colours.  In  special  favour  are  black, 
white,  blue,  red  and  gold  outlines,  by  wich  the  designs  are  more  prominently  and  beautifully  relieved  from 
the  light  or  dark  ground. 

It  is  well  known  that  silk  manufacture  in  China  had  reached  a  high  degree  of  perfection  long 
before  the  Christian  era,  but  it  may  be  less  known  that  the  gold-threads  employed  in  Chinese  weaving  and 
embroidery  most  probably  consisted  of  silk-threads  covered  with  gilt  paper. 

Most  renowned,  too,  are  the  vases  and  dishes  ornamented  with  so  called  "cloisonne  enamel".  Where 
this  kind  of  enamelling  was  first  invented,  has  up  to  now  not  been  ascertained;  the  use  of  it  be  the  Chinese 
is,  however,  of  very  ancient  date. 

The  process  of  making  cloisonne  work  is  as  follows :  —  After  the  intended  design  has  been  traced 
upon  the  metal  ground  intended  to  be  enamelled,  the  separate  figures  of  the  pattern  are  bordered  by  thin 
wire  of  gold  or  copper-alloy  soldered  to  the  metal-plate.  The  'cloisons'  so  formed  are  then  filled  in  with 
enamel  of  bright  colour  which  is  fired  in  the  furnace.  When  cool,  the  whole  surface  is  poHshed  smooth. 
Here  too  recur  the  same  motives  as  in  painting,  etc. 

Fig.  10  shows,  executed  in  this  manner,  the  often- varied  Imperial  emblem  of  China,  the  primeval 
dragon  (compare  Fig.  6).  According  to  a  Chinese  idea,  man  once  developed  out  of  the  imperfect  state  of 
a  dragon. 


Fig.  I.   Conventional  representations  of  fruit  and  flowers  painted  on  porcelain. 

„  2.   Painted  border  from  a  china  vessel. 

„  3.   Painting  from  a  small  wooden  chest. 

„  4,  5  and  6.   Portions  of  bed-curtains  embroidered  in  silk  and  gold  (XV.  century). 

.,  7,  8  and  9.   Patterns  from  woven  stuff's. 

„  10  and  II.   Portions  of  an  old  China  copper-vase  executed  in  'champ-leve  enamel'. 

„  12  —  23.   Ornaments  on  vases,  bowls  and  censers  executed  in  'champ-leve  enamel'. 


CHLNESE 

12 


PAiiNTlNG, WEAVING,  EMBROIDERY  AND  ENAMEL 


JAPAN 


13 


IS!S!ia!g!S!Ei!a 
iits!f5!ls!iB!f§!is! 

igiigifigi  isi  n  m  KS1 


^^^^^^  *   ^^^^^  ^^^^^  '^^^^^ 


4a. 


LACQUER-PAINTING 


Plate  13. 


Japan. 

Lacquer-Painting. 


o 


Concerning  the  relation  of  Chinese  to  Japanese  art  compare  the  letterpress  to  Plate  14. 

f  all  productions  of  Japanese  art,  lacquer-ware  has  attained  a  high  and  well-deserved  celebrity  long 
since;  for  this  work  shows  an  unrivalled  technical  perfection  resulting  from  a  traditional  manufacture 

transmitted  in  the  course  of  centuries  from  generation  to  generation 
within  certain  families.  It  is  to  the  separation  of  the  castes  and 
guilds  in  Japan  and  China,  that  this  increasing  perfection  of  artistic 
manufacture  is  to  be  ascribed. 

Whereas  the  Chinese  in  ornamenting  their  lacquer-ware  employ, 
almost  throughout,  types  from  nature,  the  Japanese  more  frequently 
use  geometrical  or  mere  linear  ornaments.  But  here,  as  well  as  in 
other  branches  of  their  Art,  we  often  notice  that  apprehension  of  a 
systematic  arrangement  of  the  ornaments  which  we  have  already 
referred-to  when  speaking  of  the  Chinese.  (Compare  Fig.  i  —  8,  11, 
12,  14,  20  and  21,  22  and  23;  Plate  14,  Fig.  10). 

The  style  as  well  as  the  extremely  complicated  process  of 
lacquer-painting  have  remained  unaltered  up  to  now.  The  ground 
material  is  almost  invariably  wood.  Hinoki  or  Kiri  wood  for  fine 
objects;  Sugi  or  Keyaki  for  common  bowls  or  trays.  Occasionally, 
but  rarely, metal. 


papier  mache, 
or  porcelain  are 

lacquered.  The  wood  is  covered  with  hemp  and  glue 
before  the  first  coat  of  lacquer  is  applied.  It  is  then 
dried  and  rubbed  smooth  with  a  whetstone,  the  same 
process  being  repeated  with  each  additional  coat.  The 
more  precious  objects  require  from  twenty  to  thirty 
coats  or  more,  involving  a  great  deal  of  time  and 
labour.  Sometimes  mother-of-pearl  or  ivory  is  inlaid 
for  decoration,  but  the  most  common  practice  is  the 
powdering  with  gold  dust.  In  Taka-makiye  lacquer  the 
ground  is  raised  in  parts  by  repeated  coatings  and 
by  applications  of  gold  powder. 

Lacquer  is  supplied  by  nature  as  a  product  from 
the  sap  of  a  tree  in  different  qualities,  viz.  yellow,  brown  and  Hght  yellow,  the  colour  of  the  latter  being 
soon  changed  in  deep  black  with  exposure  to  the  air. 


5'- 


52- 


Fig.    1  —  50.    Designs  for  lacquer  ware. 

51.  52.    Angle  posts,  and  panel  from  the  Portal  of  the  Temple  of  Nishi-Hon-gwan-ji. 


Plate  14. 


Japan. 

Weaving,  Painting  and  Enamelling. 


is  hardly 
productions 


possible  to  point  out  exactly  the  characteristics  which  distinguish  Chinese  and  Japanese 
of  art  from  each  other,  an  active  commercial  intercourse  and  an  exchange  of  the  successive 
acquirements  and  progress  in  industrial  art  having  been  kept  up  between 
both  countries  for  ages,  the  result  of  this  mutual  teaching  and  learning  being 
a  uniformity  of  taste  as  well  as  of  technique  with  both  nations.  That  the 
latter  reached  a  high  point  of  perfection  in  these  two  countries ,  we  have 
already  remarked,  but  probably  in  consequence  of  this  straining  after  technical 
skilfulness,  the  intellectual  element  has  been  checked  and  the  individual 
genius  of  the  artists  suppressed  in  China  as  well  as,  with  some  restriction, 
in  Japan. 

Although  what  we  have  said  above  in  reference  to  Plates  11  and  12 
applies  equally  to  Japanese  art  in  general,  it  must  be  observed,  that  in  our 
days,  this  art  has  seemed  to  revive  with  fresh  vigor,  excelling  as  it  always 
did  in  a  more  regular  style  of  ornamentation,  in  a  closer  observation  of 
nature  and  a  more  individual  freedom  of  design. 

The  Japanese  had  the  advantage  over  the  Chinese  being  able  to 
apply  cloisonne  work  to  porcelain  vases.  In  this  technical  manipulation, 
(never  yet  succeeded  in  by  Europeans ,)  the  metal  wires  are  fixed  on  the 
objects  by  means  of  enamel  of  high  fusibility,  after  the  glaze  has  been  removed 
from  the  parts  concerned.  The  further  proceeding  is  the  same  as  we  have 
described  with  Plate  12.  In  the  latest  development  the  wires  are  taken  out 
before  the  last  firing. 

Althougth  it  was  from  the  Chinese  that  the  Japanese  learnt  the  manu- 
facture of  porcelain,  yet  the  latter  nation  has  never  been  able  to  approach 
either  the  beauty  of  the  porcelain  or  the  colour  of  the  blue  decoration  of 
the  former;  the  nearest  attempts  being  in  the  Hirado  and  Nabeshima  porce- 
lains. Japanese  vases  are  sometimes  of  colossal  size,  and  when  covered 
with  cloisonne  enamel  are  magnificent  in  their  decoration. 


56. 


Fig.  I — 7.    Borders  and  patterns  from  silk  stuffs. 
„    8  and  9.    Paintings  from  an  old  porcelain  vase. 
»     lo.    Painting  from  an  old  cup-shaped  vase. 
„     II  and  12.    Borders  from  two  faience  vases. 

13-19.    Ornaments  from  cloisonnd  enamelled  vases. 
»     20.    Sketch  for  a  painting. 


JAPAN 


u 


WEAVING,  PAINTING  AND  ENAMEL 


INDIAN 


15 


METAL-WORK 


Plate  15. 


Indian. 

Metal  work. 


Compare  also  the  letterpress  to  Plate  16. 

T 

J_  he  manufacture  of  decorated  arms  and  metal  ware  was  at  all  times  an 
important  branch  of  Indian  industrial  art,  and  we  have  due  cause  to  be 
astonished  at  the  refinement  of  taste  combined  with  the  magnificence  of 
ornamentation. 

Damascened  work,  specially  exemplified  on  our  plate,  is  executed  in 
steel,  iron  or  tin-alloy,  in  the  latter  case  the  design  being  brought  out  in  deep 
black  by  the  agency  of  sulphur. 

The  damascened  ornaments  are  made  in  silver-  and  gold-foil ,  fixed 
on  either  by  pressure  or  hammering  to  the  metal  ground,  which  has  previously 
been  slightly  engraved,  after  which  the  whole  is  polished  with  the  burnisher. 


Fig.  I.  Vessel  with  damascened  inlays. 
„    2.  Battle-axe  with  etched  decorations. 
„    3.  Battle-axe  with  damascened  work. 

„    4.  Shield  of  rhinoceros-skin  inlaid  and  mounted  with  metal. 

„    5—8.  Ornaments  from  damascened  Hookahs  (water-pipes). 

„    9.  Repousse  decoration  of  a  gilt  copper-can. 

„  10.  Repousse  decoration  of  a  copper-can. 

„  II.  Decoration  from  a  damascened  tin-vase. 

„  12.  Damascened  work  on  steel  of  a  dagger-sheath. 

„  13.  Neck-decoration  of  a  demascened  tin-cup. 

„  14.  From  a  copper-plate  in  repousse  work. 

„  15.  From  a  tin-plate  in  repousse  work. 

„  16.  Design  for  a  carved  column  or  pier. 

Fig.  2,  9,  10,  12—13  drawn   from  original  objects  from  the  Royal  "Landes- 
gewerbemuseum"  at  Stuttgart. 
„    I,  5— 8  and  11  drawn  from  original  objects  belonging  to  Mr.  Paul  Stotz, 
manufacturer  at  Stuttgart. 


tm 


16. 


Plate  1 6. 


Indian. 

Embroidery,  Weaving,  Plaiting  and  Lacquer- Work. 


India,  that  country  full  of  luxurious  vegetation  rich  in  natural  products  of  every  kind,  with  inexhaustible 
mines  of  precious  metals  and  stones,  displays  her  character  of  overflowing  abundance  and  the  fantastic 
spirit  of  her  inhabitants  also  in  the  productions  of  her  art.  But  notwithstanding  her  old  and  comparatively 
high  civilisation,  a  certain  conservatism,  extending  for  nearly  a  thousand  years,  due  to  the  social  and  religious 
conditions  and  institutions,  exercised,  as  a  matter  of  course,  its  unavoidable  influence  also  on  the  artistic 
productions ,  especially  when  you  look  on  the  caste-like  separation  of  the  several  trades.  Only  since  the 
beginning  of  our  century  can  we  report  new  introductions  in  Indian  art. 

Being  little  conventional  and  flowing  freely,  Indian  ornament  seems  to  have  a  great  affinity  to  the 
Persian  style.   The  surface  decoration,  never  losing  its  specific  character,  mostly  exhibits  a  profuse  richness 

of  recurring,  motives,  and  a  splendour  of  colouring  which,  far 
from  harassing  the  eyes  of  the  beholder,  affords,  on  the  contrary, 
a  salutary  repose  to  them.  The  outlines  of  the  design,  in  which 
all  modelling  is  avoided,  are  generally  executed  on  light  ground 
in  deeper  colours  than  the  pattern  itself,  and  on  dark  ground  in 
light  colours.  The  Indians  found  their  principal  motives,  among 
their  native  plants,  employing  in  the  first  place  lotus,  excellently 
drawn  roses,  pinks,  pomegranates,  etc.;  but  most  frequently, 
especially  in  modern  productions,  we  meet  with  the  palm-branch 
always  treated  conventionally  (Fig.  ii  and  Plate  15,  Fig.  9, 
15;  Plate  17,  Fig.  23,  28  and  29). 

In  consequence  of  British  competition,  the  art  of  weaving, 
formerly  brought  to  the  highest  perfection,  is  now  decaying; 
also  in  modern  silk  embroidery  the  former  quiet  harmony  is 
frequently  disturbed  by  using  the  too  vivid  aniline  colours.  But 
the  Cashmere  shawls ,  celebrated  for  ages  all  over  the  world, 
still  keep  their  renown  owing  to  their  unrivalled  fineness  and 
delicacy  and  to  their  magnificent  colours.  Many-coloured  cotton 
carpets  (Fig.  8  and  9),  the  striped  design  of  which  is  excellently 
fitted  to  the  stuff,  are  widely  spread  as  a  cheap  substitute  for 
woollen  carpets.  —  The  plaited  mats  too  are  well  worthy  of  attention,  as  regards  their  colour  and  design 
(Fig.  10). 

Indian  lacquerwork,  when  compared  with  that  of  the  Chinese  and  Japanese,  is  far  less  elaborate  as 
regards  technical  perfection ,  and  it  differs  from  them  in  this  essential  point,  that  the  lacquer  serves  only, 
as  it  were,  to  preserve  the  gilt  or  polychrome  ornaments. 


'5- 


Fig.  I.  Woven  carpet  of  the  1 6th  century. 
„    2 — 6.  Borders  from  silk  embroideries. 
„    7.  Pattern  embroidered  in  silk. 
„    8  and  9.  Cotton  carpets. 

„  10.  Mat  of  plaited  rushes. 

»  II  and  12.  Border  patterns  of  Cashmere  shawls. 

„  1 5.  Corbel  bracket  from  the  temple  of  Jambukesvara  near  Trichinopoly. 


INDIAN. 


16 


EMBROIDERY.  WEAVING,  PLAITING  AND  LACQUER-WORK. 


Plate  17. 


Indian. 

Metal  Work,  Embroidery,  Weaving  and  Painting. 

r 

V — 'hamp-leve  enamel  was  artistically  employed,  especially  in  goldsmiths'  work.  The  parts  of  the  metal 
intended  to  be  enamelled  were  deepened  with  the  burin,  narrow  rims  being  left  to  separate  the  several 
compartments.  The  further  process  is  nearly  the  same  as  we  have  described  whe  speaking  of  ,, cloisonne 
enamel".  —  A  brilliant  specimen  of  that  work  may  be  seen  in  Fig.  4,  representing  an  ancus  (in.strument 
used  to  drive  and  train  elephants). 

We  often  meet  with  illumination  in  India,  betraying  however  Persian  influence  and  applied  to  old 
royal  edicts,  documents  and  other  manuscripts  of  a  religious  and  poetical  character. 


Fig.  I.    Ancus  in  chiselled  iron. 

„     2  and  3.    Pendants  and  button  embossed  in  gold 
and  chiselled. 

„     4.    Ancus,  enamelled  and  adorned  with  jewels. 

„     5  —  9.    Decorations  from  enamelled  arms. 

„   10.    State  parasol  with  rich  gold  embroidery. 

„   II  — 13.    Embroidered  fans. 

„    14.    Covering  for   the  foot,   woven  in  gold  and 
embroidered  in  silk  with  pearls. 

„   15.    Embroidered  table-cover. 

„    16.    Border  from  a  saddle-cloth. 


Fig.  17.    Embroidery  on  black  stuff. 

„  18.    Border  from  an  embroidered  velvet-carpet. 

„  19  —  22.    Flowers  from  silk  embroidery. 

„  23.    Woven  shawl.    Showing  Persian  influence. 

„  24.    Border  from  woven  stuff. 

„  25  and  26.    Patterns  from  silk-  and  gold-wea- 
vings. 

„  27.    Lacquer  painting. 

„  28.    Portion  of  a  book-cover  in  lacquer  painting 

„  7()  and  30.     From  illuminated  manuscripts. 

„  31.    Carved  wood  from  Burma. 


Plate  18. 

Indian. 

Inlays  in  Marble, 

If  we  cast  a  glance  at  old  Indian  Architecture,  we  are  at  once  struck  by  the  unmistakable  character  of  an 
exceedingly  varied  and  complex  style,  which  however  may  very  likely  be  traced  back  to  ages  long  gone  by. 
Even  the  most  ancient  monuments  of  India  consisted  of  stucco-work  richly  embelhshed  with  sculpture,  mo- 
saics and  colour  decoration  whose  technique  naturally  favoured  the  display  of  a  pompous  richness.  This  same 
over-loading  was  later  on  extended  also  to  rock-cut  and  other  buildings  in  stone  and  thus  the  places  of 

worship  as  well  as  the  Palaces 
of  India  present  a  bewildering 
diversity  of  fantastic  forms.  A 
hundredfold  repetition  of  idol's 
])ictures  or  long  rows  of  lions 
and  elephants,  fantastic  and  co- 
lossal figures  of  men  supporting, 
caryatide-like ,  the  projecting 
cornices,  all  sorts  of  m\  thologi- 
cal  representations,  descriptions 
of  battles  and  victories  with  a 
motley  crowd  of  inscriptions 
between. 

The  characteristics  on  the 
forms  of  the  columns,  pillars 
and  pilasters  which  are  worked 
out  with  infinite  variation,  are 
tlie  continually  recurring  change 
from  the  angular  to  the  circular 
form,  the  frequent  cording  with 
narrow  bands  and  the  bulging 
out  of  the  capitals.  On  these 
latter  arises,  console-like,  a 
broadly  projecting  flag- stone, 
resembling  a  wooden  structure, 
which  very  often  supports  a 
reposing  lion,  the  symbol  of 
Buddha.  In  later  periods,  after 
Arabian  influence  had  introdu- 
ced the  Mahometan  style  also 
into  India,  a  peculiar  grandeur 
became  observable  in  the  buil- 
dings. The  use  of  curved  and 
pointed  arches  forming  arcades 
as  also  the  mtroduction  ot  cupolas  presents  internally  and  externally  a  new  feature,  which  frequently  cul- 
minates in  a  truly  extravagant  splendour.  This  period  had  its  climax  in  the  XVH  and  the  first  half  of 
the  XVIII  century.  It  is  to  the  first-named  epoch  that  the  marble-inlays  from  the  Mogul  tombs  at  Agra 
belong,  which  are  shown  in  the  present  plate.  These  artistically  furnished  mausoleums  were  built  with 
white  marble,  whilst  all  j^rominent  architectural  parts  of  the  structure  were  ornamented  with  many  coloured 
stones,  such  as  jasper,  heliotrope,  chalcedony,  agate,  etc.  Every  curved  line,  every  closed  bud  and  opening 
flower  we  find  represented  with  a  close  regard  to  the  beauties  of  nature  yet  the  whole  is  in  thorough  harmony. 

Fig.  I  to  9.  Marble  marquetry  from  the  mausoleums  af  the  Shah  Jehan  and  tlie  Heguni  Mumtaz-i-Mahall. 
Taken  from  'I'ortfolio  of  Indian  Art'  ;ind  the    lournal  of  Indian  Art'. 


INDIAN 


INLAYS  IN  MARBLE 


ARCHITECTURE. 


Plate  19. 


Persian. 

Architecture. 

T 

J.  he  great  number  of  monumental  buildings,  which  still  exist  although  more  or  less  dilapidated,  conveys 
an  idea  of  the  fairy-like  magnificence  of  the  ancient  empire  of  the  Caliphs,  as  well  as  of  the  gorgeous 
palaces  and  mosques  of  Persia ;  especially  in  Ispahan,  the  former  capital,  a  series  of  examples  still  proves 
how  well  the  Persians  were  able  to  give  a  rich  appearance  to  their  edifices  by  employing  glazed  tiles, 
either  variegated  or  painted.  Almost  all  the  domes  of  the  mosques,  chiefly  pear  or  bulb-shaped,  and  the 
points  of  the  minarets,  as  well  as  their  walls  and,  in  short,  nearly  all  parts  of  these  buildings  are  covered 
with  such  tiles.    (Fig.  i,  6,  7,  10,  1 1 .) 

This  rich  polychrome  ornamentation,  so  abundantly  used,  is  not  less  characteristic  of  Persian  archi- 
tecture, when  compared  with  any  other  Mahometan,  than  the  peculiar  mode  of  decoration.  The  latter 
shows  much  less  variety  in  combining  geometrical  ornaments  (Fig.  11),  than  we  find  with  the  Arabs  and 
Moors,  and  in  the  floral  ornament,  though  conventionally  treated,  there  still  prevails  an  attempt  at  the 
imitation  of  nature,  the  rich  vegetation  of  the  country  offering  a  great  variety  of  subjects.  Scroll-work  and 
flowers  are  either  separately  distributed  over  the  surfaces,  or  interspersed  between  the  linear  ornaments. 

An  interesting  feature  is  the  frequently  occurring  pierced  stone  window-  frames,  the  open  spaces 
being  filled  in  with  painted  glass  (Fig.  8  and  15). 

We  may  mention  here,  also  as  worthy  of  notice,  the  so-called  stalactite  vaults  (Fig.  14)  composed 
of  miniature  niches  projecting  one  above  the  other. 


Fig.  I.    Upper  part  of  a  minaret  from  the  mosqi-.e  Mesdjid-i-Chah. 
„     2  —  5.    Bases  and  capitals  of  columns. 

„     6.    Wall-border  from  the  portal  building  of  the  mosque  Mesdjid-i-Chah. 

„     7.    Decorated  cavetto  from  the  same. 

„     8.    Pierced  stone  window-frame  (belonging  to  Fig.  12). 

„     9.    Wall-border.  S 

„  10  and  II.    Spandrels  from  the  College  or  Medresseh  Maderi-Chah-Sultan-Hussein. 

„  12.    Pierced  stone  window-head. 

„  13.    Entablature  from  the  Pavilion  Tchehel-Soutoun. 

„  14.    Stalactite  vault  from  the  Pavilion  of  the  Eight  Paradise-gates. 

„  15  — 17.    Dome  finials. 

„  18.    Glazed  tile  from  the  16"^  century. 

All  from  Ispahan. 


18. 


Plate  20 


Persian. 

Pottery. 


e  beautiful  faience  ware  produced  by  Persian  artists  settled  at  Rhodes  has  been  at  all  times  a  consi- 
derable article  of  export.  In  all  countries  professing  Islam  the  productions  of  this  very  earl}'  and  highly 
developed  industry  are  found  down  to  the  present  time. 

After  having  remarked  with  regard  to  Plate  18,  the  dazzling  manner  in  which  the  Persians  decorated 
the  exterior  of  their  buildings  with  tiles,  we  must  especially  record  here  their  tastefully  coloured  dishes, 
of  which  Plate  20  gives  some  examples. 

Both  the  invariably  flat  treatment  of  the  ornament  and  the  prevalence  of  the  natural  imitation  of 
flowers  constitute  the  characteristic  style  of  Persian  decoration. 


Fig.  I  —  5.   Ancient  Rhodian  faience  plates  in  the  Musee  Cluny  at  Paris. 
„     6  and  7.   Borders  from  walls  wainscoted  with  faience. 
„     8  and  9.  Tiles. 

Fig.  3.  After  an  original  drawing  by  C.  Bauer  from  the  'Kunstbibliothek  der  Kgl.  Centralstelle 

fiir  Gewerbe  und  Handel'  at  Stuttgart. 


POTTERY 


PERSIAN 

21. 


WEAVING  AND  ILLUMINATION 


-n  pottery  as  well  as  in  weaving  and  illumination,  we  find  the 
use  of  secondary  and  tertiary  colours  predominating,  which  being 
mostly  in  complete  harmony  with  each  other  and  the  ground 
colour,  produce  a  certain  delicacy  and  brightness  of  effect,  which 
distinguishes  all  those  objects. 

Owing  to  these  circumstances  Persian  carpets  covered  with 
flowers  and  in  many  cases  enlivened  with  animals  and  birds, 
and  the  delicately  painted  Koran-manuscripts  are  widely  dispersed 
and  much  in  favour  throughout  the  East.  But  although  the 
masses  are  rather  unevenly  distributed  on  the  surface,  the  produc- 
tions of  Persian  art  are  considered  superior  to  those  of  the  Arabs 
and  Moors. 

Fig.  1  we  see  almost  all  flowers  conventionally  treated,  and  in  Fig.  3  the  large  leaves 
quite  usual  with  the  Arabs  (compare  also  Plate  19,  Fig.  i). 


idealised  in 


Fig.  I.   Persian  carpet,  XVI.  century. 
„     2.   Patterns  for  weaving  from  an  old  Persian  book  of  ornaments  in  the  Victoria  and  Albert- 
Museum,  London. 
„     3.   Illumination  from  a  Koran. 
„     4.  5-   Ornaments  from  a  book  cover. 


Plate  22. 


Persian. 


Metal  Work. 


JL  n  all  ages  weapons ,  armour  and  metal  vessels  of  Persian  origin  were  highly  estimated  in  the  East  as 
well  as  in  Western  countries  up  to  the  present  day.  Being  decorated  with  excellent  Damascened  work  or 
beautifully  embossed,  they  exhibit  in  their  ornaments  the  above-described  features  of  the  Persian  st3'le  in 


wonderful  variety.  Moreover  we  are  struck  by  Persian  characters  expressing  proverbs  or  religious  sen- 
tences (Fig.  I  and  2  and  Plate  i8,  Fig.  i).  Animals  and  human  hgures  are  likewise  represented  in  some- 
times fantastic  imitations  (Fig.  i,  2  and  3). 


Fig.  1  and  2,  Helmet  with  accompanying  shield. 
,,    3.  Damascened  Border. 
,,    4    8.  Decorations  on  metal  vessels. 

9 — 12.  Knife  and  dagger  handles. 
,,    13.  Metal  vase. 

Fig.  1  —  3  drawn  after  original  objecis  from  the  Royal  .Landesgewerbemuseum'  at  Stuttgart. 


PERSIAN 


22 


CERAMIC  DECORATION. 


Plate  23. 


Arabian. 

Ceramic  Decoration. 

C3ur  Plate  represents  a  wall-lining  of  the  16''^  century  in  the  mosque  of  Ibrahim  Agha  at  Cairo,  exempli 
fying  a  mixture  of  the  Persian  and  Arabian  styles,  inasmuch  as  the  predominance  of  vegetable  ornamen 
tation  directly  points  to  Persian  influence. 


2  and  3. 


Fig.  2  and  3.   These  figures  represent  the  fundamental  design  with  border  of  a  Persian  wall-cove 
ring  of  tiles. 


Plate  24. 


Arabian. 

Weaving,  Embroidery  and  Painting. 

H  ardly  250  years  had  elapsed  since  the  establishment  of  Islam  through  Mahomet,  when  the  Arabs  had 
already  developed  a  style  of  their  own,  which,  though  frequently  following  Persian,  Roman  and  Byzantine 
examples,  yet  possesses  its  own  peculiar  features.  This  is  especially  the  case  in  their  style  of  decoration, 
which  perfectly  demonstrates  their  artistic  talent  being  identical  with  their  nature  and  feeling. 

A  simple  imitation  of  real  beings  could  not  be  in  accordance  either  with  their  boundless  imagi- 
nation or  with  their  character,  imbued  with  poetry;  representations  of  men  or  animals  are  therefore  of 
comparatively  rare  occurrence,  although  images  are  not  actually  forbidden  by  the  Koran,  as  is  supposed. 
The  Arabian  artists,  however,  found  full  satisfaction  in  that  pompous  ornamentation  which,  most  extensively 
employed  in  all  branches  of  their  artistic  performances,  engages  both  the  eye  and  the  intellect.  They 
created  in  changeful  play  an  abundance  of  rich  combinations  of  lines,  called  Arabesques  after  their  in- 
ventors, the  Arabs,  consisting  either  of  figures  geometrically  constructed  or  of  foliage  rigidl}^  idealised 
In  such  interlaced  scroll  work,  exhibiting  its  finest  forms  in  ingenious  rosettes  and  stars,  the  principle 
prevails  that  each  scroll  and  each  leaf  is  always  traceable  to  its  root  and  parent  stem.  Brilliant  colours 
serve  more  especially  to  disentangle  the  seemingly  insoluble  intricacy,  and  to  diffuse  a  quiet  harmon}- 
over  the  decorated  surface. 

The  curved  points  of  the  leaves  are  a  special  characteristic  of  such  Arabian  foliage  (Fig.  3). 

The  Arabs  seem  also  to  have  first  introduced  those  ingenious  patterns,  of  which  we  see  a  specimen 
in  Fig.  2,  where  two  similar  figures,  lying  in  an  opposite  direction,  are  produced  by  one  single  line. 


Fig.  I.  Woven  carpet  of  the  XVI.  century,  preserved  in  the  church  at  Nivelles. 

,,  2.  Embroidered  applique  work  of  the  XVIII.  century. 

,,  3.  A  portion  of  the  richly  painted  ceiling  of  the  mosque  el  Burdeni  at  Cairo,  XVII.  century. 

,,  4.  Frieze  from  the  mosque  el  Dhahir,  XIII.  century. 


ARABIAN 


3.  2. 


WEAVING,  EMBROIDERY  AND  PAINTING 


ARABIAN. 


25 


ORNAMENTS  IN  WOOD  AND  METAL. 


Plate  25 


Arabian. 


Ornaments  in  Wood  and  Metal. 


T. 


o  prevent  looking  in  without  hindering  a  free  look-out  the  window-openings  facing  the  street  were 
furnished  with  wooden  lattices,  shaped,  in  a  very  elegant  manner  (Fig.  2  and  3).  The  inventive  ingenuity 
of  Arabian  art-workmen  was  more  especially  engaged  in  decorating  the  doors. 


lb.  17. 

Fig.  I  for  instance  presents  us  a  panel  of  a  richly  carved  and  chiselled  door,  whilst  in  Fig.  5  — 15 
a  large  selection  of  bronze  door  fittings  will  be  found,  the  latter  being  applied  so  as  either  to  form  the 
ornament  itself,  or  so  that  the  parts  of  the  wood  uncovered  by  the  metal,  bring  out  the  pattern.  Fig.  4 
is  an  escutcheon  executed  in  bronze,  and  occurring  also  on  many  Arabian  coins. 


Fig.  I.  Enriched  door  panel. 
,,    2,  3.  Lattice  work. 

,,    4 — -15.  Various  kinds  of  metalwork  decorating  the  doors  of  Mahometan  mosques. 
16,  17.  Window  lattices. 


Plate  26. 


Arabian. 

Illumination  of  Manuscripts. 

I_vikewise  in  their  paintings  on  parchment  the  Arabian  artists  show  special  skill  in  surface  decoration. 
Scroll  work,  rigidly  idealised,  alternates  with  geometrical  figures,  or  else  the  arabesque  ornament  fills  the 
compartments  formed  by  the  lines  and  bands.  In  this  manner  whole  pages  are  painted  in  many  Koran 
manuscripts,  from  which  Fig.  4  and  5  give  us  four  specimens  of  coloured  motives  of  this  rich  method  of 
treatment.  —  The  writing  itself  is  in  most  cases  bordered  and  surrounded  with  rosettes  and  friezes,  which 
are  filled  in  with  various  combinations  of  lines  and  foliage. 

The  splendid  and  at  the  same  time  harmonious  effect  of  this  illumination  arises  principally  from 
the  exquisite  arrangement  of  the  colours,  the  brilliancy  of  which  is  further  enhanced  by  a  profuse  employ- 
ment of  gold. 

A  glance  at  Fig.  6  with  its  many-coloured  flowers  might  induce  us  to  suppose  Persian  or  Indian 
influence,  and  Romanesque  in  Fig.  8  and  9;  everywhere,  however,  we  see  the  curved  or  involuted  points 
of  the  leaves  which  characterize  the  art  of  the  Arabs  and  Moors. 


Fig.  I.  Decoration  from  an  Arabian  Koran 

2  and  3.  Decorations  from  an  Arabian  Koran 
4  and  5.  ,,  ,,     a  Moorish 


6  and  7. 

8—10. 

II  and  12. 

13.  Ornament 


an  Arabian 

a  Moorish 
an  Arabian 


XIV.  century, 

XVI. 
XVIII. 

XVI.  „ 

XVII. 
XVIII. 

XVII. 


ARABIAN 


IT.LUMINATION  OF  MANUSCRIPTS 


ARCHITECTURAL-ORNAMENTS. 


Plate  27. 


Arabian-Moresque. 

Architectural  Ornaments. 


M  oorish  architecture  is  of  importance  for  us  on  account  of  some  of  its  mouldings  being  entirely  covered 
with  ornaments,  sometimes  magnificently  gilded  and  painted.  Friezes  and  cornices  received  their  par- 
ticular adornment  by  pinnacles,  either  simply  and  plainly  treated  (Fig.  11  and  12),  or  richly  decorated 
(Fig.  13-15)- 

The  columns  at  first  followed  Egyptian  and  Byzantine  examples  or  were,  in  fact,  composed  of  parts 
of  Greek  or  Roman  columns;  later  on  however  (since  about  the  12^'^  century)  they  were  formed  in  a 
style  of  their  own,  the  capital  consisting  mainly  of  a  cube  decorated  with  foliage  and  scroll  work  (Fig.  6 
and  Plate  28,  Fig.  i). 


•1:M-M-I'I-I-II'.I-M-M-M 


17-  iS.  19- 


A  most  artistic  treatment  is  exhibited  especially  in  vaults  and  [portions  of  vaults  composed  of 
more  or  less  gorgeous  stalactites. 

Fig.  I  represents  a  wall  decoration  executed  in  plaster  and  low-relief  and  in  many  cases  coloured. 
Here  we  meet  the  so-called  Arabian  feather,  so  very  frequently  employed,  especially  in  the  Alhambra 
(compare  Fig.  13;  Plate  24,  Fig.  4,  7,  11;  Plate  28,  Fig.  2,  6,  7,  9,  10). 


Fig.  I.  Panel  from  the  Alhambra. 

,,  2.  Decoration  in  stone  above  a  door  in  Cairo. 

,,  3  and  4.  Base  and  capital  of  a  column  from  Cairo. 

„  5  and  6.      „      „        „       „  ,.       „         „    the  Alhambra. 

,,  7  and  8.  Stalactites  from  Cairo. 

,,  9  and  10.  Corbels  from  Cairo. 

II  — 15.  Crested  battlements  from  Cairo. 

,,  16  — 19   Decorations  from  Cairo. 


Plate  28. 


Arabian  -Moresque. 

Mosaic  Work  and  Glazed  Tiles. 


A  rabian  and  Moorish  mosaics  are  made  partly  of  small  pieces  of  coloured  marble,  partly  of  small  tiles, 
painted  and  glazed.  Sometimes  (as  in  Fig.  5  — 11)  the  designs  are  cut  into  the  marble  plates  and  the 
deepenings  filled  in  with  coloured  cement. 


12. 


In  these  mosaics  the  geometrical  principle  predominates.  Regarding  the  colours  used,  it  is  noti(  cable 
that  the  secondary  and  tertiary  colours  were  most  in  favour;  it  ma}'  also  be  observed,  that  the  Moors 
relinquishing  here  the  primary  colours  exclusively  used  by  them  at  other  times,  preferred  on  the  contrary 
green  and  orange. 

These  mosaics  served  for  covering  the  floors  as  well  as  the  lower  parts  of  the  walls. 


Fig.  I,  3  and  4.  Wall-lining  of  glazed  tiles  from  the  Alhambra. 

,,  2.  Wall-lining  of  glazed  tile  from  the  mosque  of  the  Shekhun  at  Cairo. 

,,  5 — 7  and  9 — II.  Marble  wall-lining  inlaid  with  coloured  stuccoes  from  Cairo. 

„  8.  „  „  „        „  „  „       „     „  Damascus. 

,,  12.  Frieze  from  the  ceiling  of  the  mosque  El  BurdOni. 


ARABIAN-MORESQUE 


28, 


>Qq<X 


MOSAIC  WORK  AND  GLAZED  CLAY  WORK 


MORESQUE 


28 


Plate  29. 


Moresque. 

Architectural  Ornaments. 


Spain  is  the  country,  where  Mahometan  art  found  its  purest  and  most  beautiful  development  in  the  buil- 
dings of  the  Moorish  kings,  for  instance,  in  the  palace  of  Alhambra  near  Granada  (13"^  and  14^^'  century). 
Especially  with  the  Moors,  Mahometan  ornamentation  reached  its  culminating  point. 

Fig.  2  —  10  represent  mouldings  and  wall  surfaces  executed  in  stucco  and  painted.  The  characteristics 
of  Arabian  ornamentation,  hitherto  mentioned,  are  identical  with  Moorish,  but  it  may  be  added,  that  the 
former  is  neither  so  happy  in  the  distribution  of  the  ornament  over  the  surface,  nor  so  varied  as  the  latter. 
The  Moorish  artists  knew  how  to  produce  wonderful  effects  by  artfully  interlacing  and  twisting  the  geo 
metrical  and  arabesque  ornaments;  for  here  they  could  give  full  play,  so  to  speak,  to  their  richly  gifted 
imagination.  Therefore,  we  find  two  (Fig.  6,  7,  9)  and  sometimes  even  three  systems  of  ornaments  (Fig.  10) 
worked  into  each  other,  and  this  richness  is  still  increased  by  the  bands  and  leaves  being  covered  with 


1 1. 


fine  ornaments.  This  profusion ,  however ,  is  far  from  troubling  and  disquieting  the  eye ,  for  design  and 
colour  being  perfectly  appropriate  to  disconnect  the  single  systems,  each  of  them  can  be  very  well  dis- 
tinguished from  the  other,  whereas  all  together  effect  a  splendid  harmony,  and  surprise  the  attentive  beholder 
again  and  again  with  new  beauties.  The  ornament,  executed  always  in  very  low-relief,  never  loses  its 
character  as  surface  decoration. 

The  prominent  bands  and  scrolls  in  most  cases  are  gilt:  when  the  ground  is  red,  the  feather 
decorations  of  the  leaves  are  blue,  or  the  reverse;  sometimes  red  and  blue  change  alternately  in  the  ground. 
Besides  these  three  primary  colours,  white  is  frequently  employed. 

That  writing,  too  very  frequently  served  as  ornamentation,  is  to  be  seen  in  Fig.  7,  10  and  li. 

Our  illustrations  have  been  taken  exclusively  from  the  Alhambra. 

Fig.  II.  Wall- decoration  of  upper  part  of  Hall,  Alhambra. 


Architectural 


Plate  30. 

Turkish. 

Ornaments  in  Glazed 


Earthenware. 


T 

J_  he  style  known  as  , Turkish'  is  the  further  development  of  that  which  originated  under  Seljiik  in  Asia  Minor 
and  Mesopotamia  in  the  beginning  of  the  1 1 century.  It  was  partly  influenced  by  Armenian  work  and 
partly  by  Persian  and  after  the  taking  of  Constantinople  in  1443,  was  materially  modified  by  the  influence  of 
Sta  Sofia. 

What  strikes  us  first  of  all,  is  the  frequent  recurrence  in  leaves  and  scrolls  of  the  re-entering 
angle,  wich  has  its  origin  in  Persia  (compare  Plate  20,  Fig.  3);  ne.xt  we  observe  a  certain  poverty  of  the 
scroll  work,  which  (especially  when  compared  with  Moorish  treatment)  leaves  large  spaces  of  the  ground 
free  and  uncovered  (Fig.  5,  6).  Moreover  the  decorations  painted  on  the  leaves  with  different  colours,  are 
frequently  wanting  in  form,  whereas  the  Turkish  artist  also  likes  ingenious  interlacements  of  several  systems 
of  lines.  —  The  colours  used,  are  not  very  brilliant,  and  looking  at  their  combination,  we  miss  the  splen- 
dour and  abundance  of  Arabian  and  Moorish  art.  In  earlier  times  the  ground  nearly  alwaj's  had  a  deep 
sad  blue,  whereas  in  later  works  green  or  light  red  predominate. 

Fig.  8,  10,  II  furnish  proof,  that  in  the  ornament  of  the  Islamitic  nations,  the  Persian  floral  element 
always  bursts  forth  afresh  and  in  comparative  pureness.  Altogether  it  is  to  be  noted,  that  numerous  pro- 
ductions of  Persian  art,  especially  painted  clay  Files,  etc.,  were  imported  and  used  by  the  Turks. 


Fig.  I,  2,  5,  6,  7  and  9.    From  the  Mosque  of  Yechil-Djami  at  Brusa. 
,,    3,  4  and  8.    From  the  Yechil-Turbey-Tomb  of  Sultan  Mohammed  I. 
„     10  and  II.    From  the  Tomb  Mourahdieh. 
,,    12.    Stone-frieze  from  the  Mosque  of  Yechil-Djami  at  Brusa. 


Plate  31 


Celtic. 

Illumination  of  Manuscripts. 


A, 


mong  the  Celtic  population  of  Ireland  there  was  already  in  very  early  times  an  original  style  of  orna- 
ment developed,  the  commencement  of  which  no  doubt  goes  far  back  to  the  days  when  heathenism  still 
prevailed  in  that  island.  To  this  period  may  be  ascribed  the  origin  of  several  stone  coffins,  which  show 
the  same  decorations  as  are  found  in  the  manuscripts  of  Celtic  monks  down  from  the  6'*^  century.  This 

ornamentation,  not  at  all  influenced  by  Byzantine  or  some  other 
south-  or  east-European  art,  bears  a  character  of  its  own,  for  the 
relics  of  it,  found  also  among  the  Scandinavian  nations,  are  certainly 
traceable  to  Ireland. 

In  the  eldest  Celtic  or  Irish  manuscripts  the  large  initial  letters 
were  at  first  distinguished  by  a  network  of  red  dots  surrounding 
them  (compare  Fig.  i,  lower  part).  Soon  afterwards  however,  the  ar- 
tists proceeded  to  the  proper  interlaced  ribbon  work,  in  the  em- 
ployment of  which  they  exhibit  a  surprising  skilfulness  and  variety 
(Fig.  I,  3,  9).  With  similar  work,  frequently  used  as  decoration,  we 
meet  again  in  the  Renaissance  period. 

For  Celtic  interlacing  work,  either  filling  up  the  spare  surfaces 
of  the  letters  or  bordering  the  separate  pages,  the  limbs  or  bodies  of  snakes,  birds,  dogs  and  fantastic  animals 
were  employed  (Fig.  i,  5,  9).  Occasionally  the  human  figure  occurs,  whereas  vegetable  ornament  is  wholly 
wanting.  Its  introduction  first  dates  from  the  9  th  century,  and  it  spread  more  and  more,  and  developed 
under  the  influence  of  the  Romanesque  style. 

The  number  of  colours  used  is  small,  especially  in  early  examples,  while  gold  occurs  only  in  a 
later  epoch. 


13- 


Fig.  I — 5.  From  the  VII.  century. 

„    6  and  7.       „  „  VIII. 

,,        O.                                ,,  ,,  lYV.  ,, 

,,      12.                    ,,  ,,  XI.  ,, 


Plate  32. 


Byzantine. 

Glass-Mosaic,  Coloured  Enamel  and  Illumination. 


In  conformity  with  the  decay  of  the  western  Roman  empire  and  the  birth  of  the  oriental  Roman  or  By- 
zantine, from  the  4*'^  till  the  8"^  century,  art  declined  on  the  soil  of  Italy,  having  found  a  safe  home  at  the 
splendid  court,  and  under  the  shelter  of  the  mighty  empire,  which  had  its  centre  in  Byzantium. 

Although  this  Byzantine  art  was  by  no  means  original,  to  a  great  extent  taking  up  the  later 
Roman  style,  at  the  same  time  adopting,  as  a  matter  of  course,  many  motives  of  the  ancient  Greeks,  and 
not  even  closing  itself  against  the  influence  of  the  East,  yet  in  consequence  of  the  unsettled  state  of  the 
West ,  the  Byzantine  style  predominated  here  till  the  end  '  of  the  first  millenium  and  even  later. 
Numerous  works  of  art  were  even  imported  from  the  eastern  Roman  empire  into  Italy,  where  Byzantine 
artists  and  workmen  established  their  practice  and  style.  Hence  we  understand,  that  in  almost  every  country 
of  Europe  works  of  art  are  found,  which  cannot  deny  their  Byzantine  origin. 

The  interiors  of  public  edifices,  palaces  and  churches  were  gorgeously  decorated.  To  satisfy  the  love 
of  pomp  which  possessed  the  great  ones  of  that  age,  the  so-called  glass-mosaic  was  especially  appropriate, 
producing  the  grandest  pictures  with  small  cubes  of  coloured  glass  of  different  sizes  (for  instance  in  the 
church  of  Sta.  Sofia  at  Constantinople).  A  characteristic  of  these  pictures  is,  that  their  ground  is  exclusively 
gold,  as  on  the  whole  the  use  of  gold  was  almost  unlimited.  Consequently  the  other  colours  added  (prin- 
cipally red,  blue  and  green),  required  a  very  deep  and  full  tone. 

In  ,, cloisonne  work"  too,  these  deep  colours  return  everywhere.  Most  probably  this  technique  was 
introduced  in  a  very  early  period  from  China  and  India.  According  to  the  prevailing  luxury,  gold  was 
used  almost  universally  as  a  substratum  for  the  enamel  and  the  separating  metal  lines. 

The  ornamentation  represents  either  more  or  less  simple  geometrical  patterns  (compare  Fig.  6  and  7), 
or  beautifully  idealised  scroll  work.  The  latter  bears  at  first  a  great  resemblance  to  ancient  Greek  treatment, 
but  soon  we  recognize,  as  for  instance  in  the  acanthus  leaves,  an  increasing  rigidness  of  the  forms,  especially 
in  illumination  of  manuscripts. 

Finally  we  have  to  mention,  that  frequently  Christian  symbols  were  applied,  specially  that  of  the  cross. 


Fig.  I.  Glass-mosaic  from  the  barrel  vault  of  the  tomb  of  Galla  Placidia  at  Ravenna. 
,,    2.      ,,         ,,      from  the  walls  of  St.  Mark's,  Venice. 

,,    3.      ,,         ,,      from  one  of  the  semi-domes  of  Sta.  Sofia,  Constantinople. 
,,    4.      ,,         ,,      from  the  vault  of  the  Baptistery  of  S.  Giovanni  in  Fonte  at  Ravenna. 
))    5-9-  ,, Cloisonne  enamel"  from  an  Altar-Antependium  in  the  Cloister-church  at  Comburg  near 
Schwiibisch  Hall. 

,,    10  and  II.  Illuminations  from  Gospels  of  the  X.  and  XI.  centuries  in  the  Imperial  Library  at 
St.  Petersburg. 

,,    12  and  13.  Ornaments  from  a  manuscript  of  the  XIII.  century  in  the  public  Museum  at  Moscow. 

Fig.  I.    After  an  original  drawing  by  A.  Knoblauch,  architect  at  Stuttgart. 
>'    4-       V      „        ,,  ,,        ,,   A.  Borkhardt,  ,, 

11   5 — 9-  I.  >.  „        ,,   H.  Gross,  painter  and  teacher  at  the  Royal  Kunstgewerbeschule 

at  Stuttgart. 


BYZANTINE 

32 


GLASS-MOSAIC,  COLOURED  ENAMEL  AND  ILLUMINATION 


BYZANTINE 


Plate  33. 

Byzantine. 

Incrusted  Enamel,  Marble  Mosaic  and  Glass  Mosaic. 


Incrusted  enamel  was  not  less  employed  than  "cloisonne  work".  Fig.  i  shows  us,  executed  in  this  manner, 
Christ  enthroned  on  a  rainbow  and  surrounded  by  the  symbols  of  the  four  Evangelists.  This  example 
proves  that  in  course  of  time,  a  certain  lifelessness  prevailed  in  the  figure  representations;  specially  looking  at 
the  image  in  the  middle ,   we  are  struck  by  the  expression  of  quietness  having  quite  grown  into  rigidity. 

In  marble  mosaic,  with  which  the  floors  were  lavishly  covered,  decorative  art  again  made  use  of 
the  various  changes  of  geometrical  motives.  In  this  practice  the  Byzantine  artists  gave  many  suggestions 
to  the  Mahometan.  However  a  conventional  treatment  of  foliage  and  scroll  work  was  not  excluded  and 
reminds  us  of  antique  examples. 


Fig.  21 — 23.  Mosaic-bands  from  a  ceiling  in  St.  Mark's  at  Venice. 


1.  Book-cover  of  gilt  bronze  decorated  with  incrusted  enamel  and  stones,   XII   century,  in  the 

Museo  Civico  at  Venice. 

2,  3  and  5.  Marble  mosaics  from  floors  in  S.  Alessio  at  Rome. 
4.  Marble  mosaics  from  floors  in  S.  Maria  in  Cosmedin,  Rome. 

6.  ,,  „         ,,        „      „  S.  Vitale  at  Ravenna. 

7.  Glass  mosaics  from  S.  Maria  in  Aracoeli  at  Rome. 

8.  „  „  „     S.  Alessio  at  Rome. 

9  and  10.  Glass  mosaics  from  the  Duomo  at  Messina. 

II  — 13.         „  „  „      „         „       „  Monreale. 

14 — 16.         „  „  „      „    Facade  of  the  Cathedral  of  Orvieto. 

17  and  18.  Marble-mosaic-bands  from  capitals  in  St.  Mark's  at  Venice. 

19  and  20.       „  „         „      from  the  walls  of  Sta.  Sofia,  Constantinople. 

Fig.  I.  After  an  original  drawing  by  A.  Borkhardt,  architect  at  Stuttgart. 
„    2—5,  7,  8,  14,  15  and  16  after  original  drawings  by  H.  Dolmetsch  at  Stuttgart. 


Plate  34. 


Byzantine. 

Weaving  and  Embroidery. 

-Eyver  since  the  importation  of  silk  in  the  6'^  century,  Byzantium  could  successfully  compete  in  woven 
fabrics  with  the  Asiatic  productions  of  this  class,  taking  the  lead  in  Europe  till  far  into  the  12'^^  centur}'. 

During  this  period  an  extensive  trade  was  carried  on  in  the  most  precious 
woven  fabrics,  figured  or  not,  in  gorgeous  embroidered  materials  and 
stuffs,  adorned  beads  (Fig.  3,  5,  7  and  8).  The  Saracenic  weavers  in 
the  island  of  Sicily  rivalled,  it  is  true,  the  Byzantine;  however  it  was 
not  before  the  conquest  of  Sicily  by  the  Normans,  when  a  great  number 
of  captive  Grecian  weavers  were  transported  to  Palermo,  (thus  uniting 
Christian  and  Mahometan  art) ,  that  the  stuffs  and  robes  from  the  Royal 
manufactories  of  Sicily  attained  the  highest  value  in  the  emporiums  of 
the  world  for  their  splendour  and  their  beautiful  designs. 

Plate  34  shows  us  such  Sicilian  articles  exhibiting  clearly  the  in- 
fluence of  Arabian  ornamentation ,  without  denying  Byzantine  origins. 
In  these  woven  fabrics  the  ornament  is  always  treated  as  surface  de- 
coration. The  plants  and  animals  which  we  see  applied,  do  not  exactly 
imitate  nature ,  but  are  more  or  less  idealised.  —  In  Fig.  9  the  lion 
overpowering  the  camel  seems  intended  to  symbolize  Christianity  over- 
Fig.  12.  Design  on  a  shroud  in  the  ruling  Islam 
Cathedral  at  Sens. 


Fig.  I.  Embroidered  purple  robe  in  the  cathedral  treasury  at  Bamberg. 
„     2.  Figured  silk-stuff  on  the  tunic  of  Henry  II.  in  the  National  Museum  at  Munich. 
„    3,  4  and  7.  Embroidered  borders  from  the  Imperial  Alb  in  the  Treasury  at  Vienna. 
.,     5  and  6.  Embroidered  borders  from  an  Imperial  tunic  at  Vienna. 

„  8.  Embroidered  borders  on  the  German  Emperor's  mantle  in  the  Imperial  Treasury  at  Vienna. 
„    9.  Embroidery  on  the  German  Emperor's  mantle,  Vienna. 

,,  10  and  II.  Patterns  painted  on  garments  from  tomb-stones  in  the  church  of  S.  Lorenzo  fuori- 
le-mura  at  Rome. 


BYZANTINE . 


WEAVING  AND  EMBROIDERY 


MANUSCRIPT-PAINTING. 


Plate  35. 


Russian. 

Manuscript  painting. 


e  old  Slavonic  Manuscripts  handed  down  to  us,  which  reach  back  as  far  as  the  X"'  century,  are  rather 
numerous,  thanks  to  the  almost  complete  state  of  preservation  of  the  libraries  and  treasuries  of  the  many- 
old  monasteries  in  Russia.  Besides  there  is  an  important  collection  of  manuscripts  at  the  Imperial  Public 
Library  of  St.  Petersburg  and  of  the  library  at  the  Synodal  printing  works  of  Moscow. 

On  Plate  32  we  have  added  to  the  patterns  of  Byzantine  Ornaments  some  examples  of  manu- 
script-painting found  in  Russian  libraries,  dating  from  the  X"^  up  to  the  XIII"'  century.  In  connection 
therewith   our   Plate   represents  a  considerable  number   of  characteristic    examples  from  the   XIV'''  and 


XV"'  centuries,  during  which  the  style  of  Russian  manuscript-painting  was  most  flourishing.  This  period 
is  marked  by  the  assertion  on  the  one  side  of  braided  work  displayed  on  a  geometrical  base  and  on  the 
other  side  of  more  unconstrained  motives  combined  with  animal  forms  which  remind  us  of  Celtic  ornaments. 
The  few  pigments  used  are  as  a  rule  confined  to  blue,  red,  yellow  and  green.  This  simplicity  of  colour, 
together  with  a  symmetrical  order  of  forms,  confers  a  most  agreeable  effect  on  the  manuscript-paintings  in 
question;  the  motives  of  that  time  are  still  employed  for  coloured  letter-press,  enamels  and  similar  artistic  work. 


Figure  i.    From  a  Gospel  of  the  XIV  Century  in  the  Imperial  Public  Library,  St.  Petersburgh. 

„  2,  3,  12  and  13.    From  Psalters  in  the  library  of  the  Trinity  Monastery,  near  Moscow. 

,,  4  and  5.    From  Psalters  in  the  Imperial  Public  Library. 
„      6  and  7.    From  Gospels  in  the  Rumjantzoff  Museum,  Moscow. 
„      8.    Book-ornament,  XV  Century  from  Rostow. 

„      9  and  15.    From  a  prayer  book  in  the  Monastery  of  Miracles,  Moscow. 

„  10  and  II.    Portions  of  alphabetical  characters.    XIV.  Century. 

„  14.    From  a  prayer  book  in  the  Bjeloserski  Monastery.    XV.  Century. 

„  16.    From  a  Gospel  in  the  Monastery  of  Mary's  glorification  near  Novgorod. 

„  17.    From  a  Psalter  of  the  XV.  Century. 

„  18.    Book-ornament  from  the  work  »Appendice  a  I'imitation  de  Jesus-Christ. « 

„  19.    From  a  Gospel  XII.  Century  in  the  Rumjantzoff  Museum,  Moscow. 

The  plate  is  arranged  by  M.  Scherwinsky,  Director  of  the  Industrial  school,  Riga. 

Taken  from  „The  publication  of  the  Moscow  Museum  of  Art  Industry"  and  from  „W.  Stassow,  Slavic  Ornament  in 
old  and  new  manuscripts". 

„History  of  Russian  Ornaments  from  the  X.  to  the  XIV.  Century.  Museum  of  Art  Industry  at  Moscow"  and  „Appen- 
dice  a  I'imitation  de  Jesus-Christ". 


Fig.  19. 


Plate  36. 


Russian. 

Architectural  Ornaments  and  Wood-Carvings. 


As 

regards  their  form  and  decoration  the  oldest  Russian  buildings  resemble  closely  the  Byzantine 
monuments  which  is  explained  by  the  fact,  that  it  was  from  Byzantium  that  the  Gospel  was  carried  to 
and  extended  over  Russia  in  the  IX'"^  Century.  These  Russian-Byzantine  structures  certainly  do  not  lack 
original  motives  which  were  improved  upon  in  Russia,  but  in  many  cases  it  is  almost  impossible  to  trace 
them  to  their  source.  Many  forms  of  this  style,  and  especially  of  the  distinct  Russian  style  of  the 
XVI'''  Century  may  no  doubt  be  regarded  as  importations  from  the  far  East.    The  Russian  style  flourished 

until  the  XVIIP''  Century  only,  when  French  influences  began  to  assert 
themselves  there  as  all  over  Europe. 

One  of  the  most  prominent  and  peculiar  buildings  of  the 
XVI"'  Century  is  the  church  of  Saint  Basil  at  Moscow  (built  in 
memory  of  the  capture  of  Kasan).  The  forms  of  the  XVT''  Century 
are  frequently  adopted  for  modern  constructions  in  the  Russian  st3de. 

A  characteristic  of  Russian  churches  is  their  bulb-like  form 
cupolas  (Fig.  i)  which  we  see  in  a  variety  of  shapes.  The  balda- 
quins in  most  places  of  worship  present  a  particularly  rich  con- 
figuration; they  are  often  crowned  with  keel-like  gables  and 
turrets,  reminding  us  somewhat  of  Gothic  superstructures.  (Fig.  4.) 
Not  seldom  we  come  across  arched  ornaments  meeting  between 
the  chief  supports  which  rest  upon  a  hanging  corbel.  (Fig.  3.) 
Very  abundant  are  motives  for  wood-architecture  on  the  farm- 
houses in  the  central  and  northern  governments;  the  origin  of  which 
is  often  ancient.  It  is  astonishing  to  notice  the  severe  st3'le  of 
these  ornaments  which  consist  of  planed  boards  cunningly  perforated 
and  sawn  out,  and  to  consider  the  uniformity  bestowed  on  the  work. 
A  favourite  device  is  the  use  of  ornamental  boards  suspended  from 
the  projecting  cornices  of  the  roofs  (Fig.  11,  12  and  13)  which 
are  also  employed  as  an  embellishment  beneath  the  sills  of  the  windows. 
Frequently  these  boards  are  brightened  up  with  colours  and  thus 
at  a  distance  look  like  the  richly  embroidered  and  lace-bordered 
towels  which  in  Russia  garnish  the  portraits  of  Saints  or  mirrors  etc.  For  this  reason  these  ornamental 
boards  are  popularly  called  „towels". 


Fig.  22. 
Capital  with  leaf  ornament. 


Fig.  I.    Fantastic  church  cupolas  at  Jaroslaw.    XVII  and  XVIII  Century. 
„     2  and  3.    Gilt  wood  carvings  of  the  baldaquin  of  the  Imperial  chair  in  the  Nicolay  church. 

Jaroslaw.    XVII  Century. 
„    4.    From  a  baldaquin  in  the  Museum  of  the  Imperial  Academy  of  Arts. 
„     5  and  6.    Carved  roses  on  the  principal  door  of  the  altar,  church  of  St.  John,  near  Rostow, 

XVII  Century. 

„    7—10.    Window  frames  of  wooden  houses  in  the  Government  of  Wologda. 
„  II  — 13.    Gable  ornaments  in  the  same  district. 
„  14  and  15.    Ornamental  boards  on  sills  etc. 

„  16 — 19.    Roses  on  the  wings  of  doors,  made  of  small  panels  from  Samara. 
„  20  and  21.    Portions  of  such  roses. 

The  figures  i,  4  and  15—21  after  copies  taken  by  M.  Scherwinsky,  Director  of  the  Industrial  School  at  Riga. 
The  remaining  figures  are  taken  from: 

„Prince  Gagarin,  Collection  of  Byzantine  and  Old  Russian  Ornaments." 

nl'Architecte,  St.  Petersbourg,  1885,"  and 

„Viollet-le-Duc,  L'art  russe." 


RUSSIAN. 


36 


ARCHITECTURAL  ORNAMENTS  AND  WOOD-CARVINGS 


RUSSIAN 


LNAMEL  MAJOLICA  PAINTINGS  ON  WALLS  AND  CEILP 

JAPANNED  WOODWORK 


Plate  37. 


Russian, 

Enamel,  Majolica,  Paintings  on  Walls  and 
Ceilings.  Japanned  Woodwork. 


In  Russia  we  find  enamel  ornaments  on  gold,  silver  and  copper  still  as  widely  distributed  and  as  highly 
esteemed  as  in  former  times  when  they  first  attained  their  reputation.  Figures  15  — 18  present  some  inte- 
resting examples  of  this  kind.  Figure  15  especially  shows  how  extensive  was  the  employment  of  this 
beautiful  decoration,  for  here  we  see  the  edge  of  a  gold  dish  belonging  to  a  set  for  120  persons  which 
Czar  Alexis  Michaelowitsch  (1645  — 1676)  is  said  to  have  had  manufactured  by  Russian  artists. 

In  like  manner  majolica  found  an  early  and  extensive  employment  in  consequence  of  its  being 
preferred  and  used  for  the  ornamentation  of  the  fronts  of  palaces  and  churches  no  less  than  of  the  interior 
of  altars,  but  most  particularly  of  stoves  in  private  rooms.  This  we  find  confirmed  in  many  towns  along 
the  river  Volga,  especially  at  Jaroslaw,  where  there  is  an  abundance  of  examples.  In  recent  times  the  use  of 
majolica  has  been  taken  up  again  in  many  parts  of  Russia  with  highly  satisfactory  results. 


Fig.  22.  Ornament  in  chased  metal. 


As  to  ornamental  painting  on  walls  and  ceilings,  the  remaining  examples  which  Russia  can  furnish  are 
not  very  numerous.  They  present  to  us  tender  creepers  with  large  leaves  and  flowers  in  deep  colours 
which  betray  an  Oriental  origin,  and  some  of  them  are  enlivened  by  portrait-medallions  interspersed. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  branches  of  the  home  industries  practised  to  this  day  in  the 
central  parts  of  Russia ,  is  the  production  of  japanned  zvood  articles  which  possess  great  durability. 
(Fig.  1 9  —  21.)  These  utensils  first  receive  a  surface  of  precipitate  of  graphite  upon  which  the  patterns 
are  painted,  generally  in  black  or  red  colours,  and  finally  they  are  coated  with  linseed  oil  boiled  down  to 
a  jelly.  This  latter  confers  a  greenish  gold  tint  on  the  graphite  which  imparts  a  rich  and  warm  colouring 
to  the  articles. 


Fig.  I — 4.  Wall-paintings  on  a  spiral  staircase  in  the  Cathedral  of  the  Annunciation  at  Moscow. 
XV  Century. 

„    5 — 7.   Ornaments  on  vaults  in  a  house  of  Moscow.    XVII  Century. 

„  8  and  9.  Majolica  pilaster  as  window  frame  at  the  Terem  (Palace  of  the  Empresses)  in 
the  Kremlin,  Moscow. 

„    10 — 14.    Portions  of  encaustic  stoves  made  in  the  market-town  of  Ustjug.   XVII  Century,  in 
the  Museum  of  the  Imperial  Society  for  the  promotion  of  Art  in  St.  Petersburg. 
„    15.    Edge  of  a  gold  dish  in  the  treasury  of  the  Kremlin,  Moscow. 

„  16 — 18.  Veil  from  the  portrait  of  a  saint  of  the  XVII  Century.  Enamel  on  silver.  From 
the  Museum  of  the  Imperial  Society  for  the  promotion  of  Art,  St.  Petersburg. 

„  19  —  21.  Japanned  wooden  spoons  and  top  of  a  footstool.  Articles  made  by  peasants  in 
the  district  of  Novgorod. 

Fig.  19—21  after  copies  made  by  M.  Scherwinsky.    Director  of  the  Industrial  School  at  Riga. 
The  other  subjects  taken  from: 

„N.  Simakof:  I'ornement  russe  dans  les  anciens  produits  de  I'art  industriel  national." 

„Th.  Sonzew:  „Altertumer  des  russischen  Kaiserreiches,  Moskau  1849 — 1853." 

„Viollet-le-Duc:  I'art  russe." 


Fig.  24.    Frieze  in  the  church  at  Opdal. 


Plate  38. 

Northern. 

Wood-Carving. 

If  we  devote  a  chapter  to  the  "Northern  style"  it  is  by  no  means  our  intention  to  embody  in  our  plate 
every  variation  of  style  appertaining  to  this  category,  which  succeeded  each  other  from  the  Roman-Ger- 
manic period  down  to  the  introduction  of  Christianity.  Our  representations,  on  the  contrary,  are  confined 
to  the  time  this  side  of  the  twelfth  century. 

We  have  already  on  Plate  31  when  speaking  of  Celtic  ornaments ,  expressed  our  opinion  that  they 
betray  original  and  independent  characteristics  and  that  traces  of  this  style  may  be  noticed  more 
especially  in  Scandinavia.  In  the  same  manner  as  Irish  missionaries,  animated  by  an  enthusiastic  migra- 
tory impulse,  disseminated  the  Irish  style  over  the  whole  of  Western  Europe,  its  intro- 
duction in  Northern  countries  and  particularly  in  Norway  took  place  as  far  back  as  the 
VIIF'^  Century.  It  was  then  that  motives  of  the  oldest  Irish  style  began  to  be  most  inti- 
mately blended  with  the  style  introduced  by  the  migration  of  nations  (Charlemagne) 
which  had  up  to  that  time  been  dominant  in  the  North.  Thus  a  peculiar  compound  style 
was  created  and  this  developed  —  especially  in  the  IX"^  Century  during  the  Viking  period 
with  its  Northern  ascendancy  —  to  that  so-called  Northern-Irish  style  which  testifies  to 
Icelandic  artistic  influence  up  to  the  XP^  Century.  In  the  same  manner  as  animal  orna- 
ments used  to  form  the  universal  basis  of  style  in  contemporaneous  west  and  northern 
European  Art,  so  do  above  all  animal  motives  play  an  important  part  also  in  Scandinavian 
Art.  At  first  they  represented  an  intricate  surface  decoration  loaded  with  animal  figures, 
difficult  to  unravel  but  free  from  any  admixture  of  other  motives.  Later  on  foreign  ele- 
ments are  added  in  the  form  of  quadruped  animals,  birds,  snakes,  images  of  lions  and 
winged  dragons,  which  are  changed  into  novel  and  strange  forms  of  animals  as  found  in 
the  earliest  mediaeval  style.  These  varied  animal  motives  are  then  surrounded  by  all 
sorts  of  foliage  and  interlacing  motives.  The  foliated  ornaments,  elaborated  in  romanesque 
fashion,  were  gradually  enlarged  to  such  extent  that  the  original  style  was  thereby  forced 
into  other  paths  more  in  sympathy  with  the  traditions  of  Greek  Art.  No  symbolic  signi- 
ficance can  be  attached  to  the  animal  figures  here  introduced,  they  are  simply  ornamental 
motives.  At  free  terminal  points,  such  as  gableheads,  gargoyles,  ships'-prows  etc.,  also 
at  the  upper  termination  of  pilasters,  human  and  animal  heads  or  birds  were  preferably 
made  use  of.  (Fig.  13 — 16).  Frequently  we  also  meet  with  original  ornaments  composed 
of  letters  and  with  that  notch-work  so  widely  adopted  for  minor  objects  of  art. 

A  rich  store  of  Northern  ornaments  still  remains  in  the  wooden  churches  of  the 
XIP'^  and  Xlir'^  Centuries  in  Sweden  and  Norway,  while  in  the  Art  Museums  at  Copen- 
hagen, Stockholm,  and  Christiania  may  be  studied  a  wonderful  variety  of  domestic  articles 
carved  in  wood  with  that  infinite  exactne.ss  which  is  characteristic  of  the  work  of  this  period. 


Figure  i.    Portal  of  the  church  at  Hedal. 

„       2.    Jamb  of  the  Portal  of  the  church  at  Austad. 
,,      3.    The  same  of  the  church  at  Hyllestad. 
„      4.    Arches  of  the  Arcades  in  the  church  at 

Opdal  (Numedal). 
„      5  and  6.    Ornaments  on  cylindrical  capitals 

of  pillars  in  the  church  at  Lomen. 
„      7.    Gallery  in  the  church  at  Hurum. 
„      8.  and  9.    Ornaments  on  C3'lindrical  capitals 

of  pillars  in  the  same  church. 
„     10  and  II.    Capitals  in  the  church  at  Urnes. 


Figure  12.    Portion   of  a  stall  in  the  choir  of  the 

church  at  Urnes. 
„       13.    Upper  termination  of  a  pilaster  in  the 

church  at  Gol. 
„       14.    Prows  of  Swedish  Ships  in  the  Museum  at 

Christiania. 

„  15  and  16.  Gargoyles  on  the  church  at  Moere. 
„       18  —  22.    Swedish    Patera    in    the  Nordland 

Museum  at  Stockholm. 
„       23.    Carving  from  the  porch  of  the  churcli 
at  Urnes. 


Taken  from:  „Ruprich-Robert,  I'architecture  normande."    ,,Tidskrift  for  Kunstindustri." 
„01denburg,  trasniderimonstcr  ur  Nordiska  Museet  i  Stockholm." 

„Dietrichson,  de  norskc  stavkirker."    ,,Minde.smerker  af  Midde'alderens  Kunst  i  Norge.' 


WOOD-CARVING. 


BYZANTINE  and  MIDDLE  AGES. 


39 


ARCHITECTURE  AND  SCULPTURE. 


Plate  39. 


Byzantine  and  Middle  Ages. 


Architecture  and  Sculpture. 


A  Ithough  on  the  whole  the  difference  between  Byzantine  and  Romanesque  architecture  is  very  con- 
siderable (when  we  look  on  both  styles  in  general),  yet  as  regards  decorative  details,  it  moves  within  very 
narrow  limits,  which  fact  is  easily  accountable  from  the  active  export  of  Byzantine  objects  of  art  into 
Western  countries,  and  from  the  influence  of  Byzantine  artists. 

The  Byzantine  capital  is  either  an  imitation  of  antique  capitals,  especially  of  the  Corinthian  (Fig.  i), 
or  it  exhibits  an  original  shape  in  the  form  of  a  cube  contracted  at  the  bottom,  and  rounded  off  at  its  lower 

angles  (Fig.  2).  In  the  former  case  however,  the  treatment  of  the 
foliage,  inclining  with  its  broad  indentments  and  sharp  points  to  a 
certain  rigidness,  no  longer  manifests  that  close  observation  of 
nature,  as  in  the  classical  period.  In  the  latter  case  the  four  sides 
are  framed  with  low  raised  ribbon  or  plaited  work  inclosing  either 
foliage,  always  conventionally  treated,  or  symbolical  figures. 

Romanesque  architecture  shaped  its  capitals  either  in  Corinthian- 
like or  Byzantine-like  manner  (cushion  capital),  or  it  created  special 
forms  in  its  bell-shaped  and  calycate  capitals,  these  being  either 
plainly  treated  or  richly  ornamented.  Most  frequently  we  find  the 
cushion  capitals  covered  with  figure  ornaments  (Fig.  10),  human  figu- 
res and  animals,  often  fantastically  transformed,  not  being  generally, 
despised  as  means  of  decoration.  Besides  these,  the  so-called  tarin- 
capitals  were  frequently  used.  As  decoration  for  pillar-shafts,  key- 
stones, friezes,  cornices  etc.,  scroll  work  and  foliage  were  in  great 
favour,  appearing,  without  exception,  in  idealised  forms,  and  often 
showing,  at  least  in  the  earlier  examples,  an  inferior  understanding 
of  nature.  The  leaves  are  broadly  treated  and  their  points  frequently 
rounded.  To  produce  an  effective  change  of  light  and  shadow, 
all  forms  were  worked  out  in  very  high  relief,  sometimes  almost 
completely  standing  out  from  the  ground,  as  in  Fig.  13.  The  latter 
23.    Capital  from  St.  Mark's  at  Venice.      figure  as  also  fig.  14  belong  already  to  the  so-called  transition-style. 


Fig.     I.  Capital  from  Agia  Theotokos  at  Constantinople.     Close  of  IX  century. 
„      2.  Capital  from  S.  Vitale  at  Ravenna. 

„  3.  Lintel-decoration  from  Agia  Theotokos  at  Constantinople. 
„      4.      „  „         from  the  church  of  St.  Nicolas  at  Myra. 

„      5.  Pilaster-capital  from  Agia  Sofia  at  Constantinople. 

„      6.  Door-frame  on  the  abbey-church  at  St.  Denis.    Middle  of  XII  century. 

„      7.  Richly  carved  panel,  Perigord. 

„      8.  Pillar-decoration  from  the  cathedral  at  Bourges. 

«         9"         »  )i  11  n  "  "  " 

„  10.  Capital  from  the  abbey-church  at  St.  Benoit-sur-Loire. 

„  II.        „         „      „     palace  of  Barbarossa  at  Gelnhausen. 

,,  12.  Arch-border  from  the  church  St.  Amand  de  Boixe. 

„  13.     „        „         „       „        „      at  Gelnhausen.    Beginning  of  the  XIII  century. 

„  14.  Console  bracket  „       „  „  „         ,.     „       „  „ 

„  15.  Decoration  of  a  pillar-shaft  from  the  church  at  Tournus  XII  century. 

„  16.         „  „   .,      „       „        ,,       „    cathedral  at  Chartres. 

„  17.  Portion  of  a  door-frame  from  the  former  Benedictine-abbey-church  at  EUwangen. 

,,  18.  Frieze  in  the  interior  of  St.  Walderich's  chapel  at  Murrhardt. 

„  19  and  20.  Arch-consoles  on  the  side-aisle  of  St.  Sebald,  Nuremberg. 

.,  21.  Key-stone  decoration  in  the  same  church. 

.,  22.     „       „  „         from  the  cathedral  at  Bamberg. 


Plate  40. 


Middle  Ages. 

Enamels  and  the  Illumination  of  Manuscripts. 


Jt^omanesque  ornament  found  its  greatest  freedom  in  the  illumination  of  manuscripts,  where  particularl}'  the 
large  initials  were  magnificently  treated  (Fig.  i  and  2).  Especially  animals  were  here  combined  with  scroll 
work  in  strange  arabesque-like  representations.  The  ground  of  the  paintings  in  earlier  times  was  gold, 
later  on  many- coloured. 

In  the  art  of  enamelling,  which  had  been  transferred  from  Byzantium  to  Germany,  the  German 
artists  attained  a  high  degree  of  perfection;  utilising  for  their  metal  ground  copper  plates  instead  of  the 
expensive  gold  plates,  and  instead  of  "cloisonne"  enamel  they  employed  '"champleve  work"  which  then 
spread  also  in  France  where  the  manufactories  of  Limoges  were  much  renowned.  —  Generall}',  when 
figure  representations  were  designed,  the  artists  treated  only  the  background  and  the  surrounding  ornaments 
in  this  manner,  spacing  out  the  figures  themselves  in  metal  and  after  having  engraved  the  details  (contours 
of  garments  etc.)  with  the  burin,  raised  their  effect  by  coloured  enamel.  (Compare  the  head  in  Fig.  20.) 
Fig.  3  shows  a  somewhat  different  kind  of  enamelling,  the  contours  themselves  being  spaced  out,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  figure  worked  in  enamel.  The  prominent  head  is  made  of  gilt  copper,  as  in  many  such 
objects  of  art,  and  put  on  separately.  Fig.  6  and  11  show  the  zigzag  and  circular-arched  mouldings,  so 
much  favoured  in  architecture. 


Fig.  I.  Initial  from  a  German  manuscript  (Rhenish  school),  XI  —  XII  century,  in  the  Library  at 
Paris. 

„    2.  Initial  from  a  German  manuscript  of  the  XII  centy  from  a  private  collection  at  Cologne. 
„    3.  Relic-cross  from  the  first  half  of  the  XII  centy  in  the  Diocesan  Museum  at  Freising. 
„    4.  Pilaster  from  the  shrine  of  St.  Heribertus  in  the  Benedictine  Abbey  at  Deutz.  Middle 
of  the  XII  centy. 

„    5  and  10.    From  the  shrine  of  the  great  relics  at  Aachen.    XII  centy. 
„    6.  From  a  collection  at  Bonn.    XII  centy. 

„  7.  Decoration  from  the  Hannoshrine  in  the  former  abbey  at  Siegburg.  XI  centy. 
„  8  and  9.  From  a  reliquary  in  Victoria  and  Albert  Museum  at  London.  XII  centy. 
„  II.  From  a  reliquary.    XII  centy. 

,,  12  and  13.  From  the  portable  altar  of  St.  Andrews  in  the  cathedral  at  Treves.    X  centy. 

„  14.  Flat  disk  of  gilt  copper  in  private  collection  at  Bamberg.    XII  centy. 

„  15.  From  a  shrine  in  the  former  abbey  at  Siegburg.    XI  cent}'. 

„  16 — 19.  Decorations  on  double  crosses  at  Essen.    XI  centy. 

„  20.  Half  figure  of  an  angel  from  the  shrine  of  St.  Heribertus.    (Vide  Fig.  4.) 

.,  21.  From  the  shrine  of  Charlemagne  at  Aachen.    XII  cent)'. 

„  22  and  23.  From  the  Mauritius-shrine  at  Siegburg.    XI  cent}'. 

„  24.  From  an  altar.    XII  centy. 


ENAMEL  AND  ILLUMINATION  OF  MANUSCRIPTS. 


MIDDLE  AGES 


WALL-PAINTING 


Plate  41 


Middle  Ages. 

Wall  Painting. 


T 

JLhe  colours  used  in  wall  painting  are  cheerful  and  of  great  variety.  The  figures  do  not  exhibit  that 
rigidity  as  in  the  contemporary  Byzantine,  but  show  a  freer  and  more  youthful  movement.  The  folds  of 
the  garments  following  closely  the  forms  of  the  body,  are  much  better  modelled  than,  for  instance,  in  the 
Byzantine  images.  As  regards  the  ornament,  all  the  pecuHarities  of  the  Romanesque  style  previously  mentioned, 
are  likewise  applicable  to  it.    Frequent  use  is  made  of  the  circle  or  parts  of  a  circle. 


Fig.  I  and  2.  From  the  apse  of  the  Basilica  di  S.  Angelo-in-Formis  near  Capua.    XI  century. 

,,  3 — 5.  From  the  chapter-house  of  the  Benedictine  abbey  of  Brauweiler  near  Cologne.  XI  century. 

,,  6 — 9.  From  the  lower  church  at  Schwarz-Rheindorf  near  Bonn.    Middle  of  the  XII  century. 

„  10,  II  and  15.  From  the  choir  of  the  cathedral  at  Brunswick.  XII  century. 

„  12  From  the  abbey  church  at  Marcigny.  XII  century. 

„  13  and  14.  From  the  church  at  Anzy.    XII  century. 

,,  16  and  17.  From  the  lower  church  S.  Francesco  at  Assisi. 


18.  From  the  church  at  Schwarz-Rheindorf.  XII  century. 


Plate  42. 


Middle  Ages. 

Stained  Glass 


^^.Ithough  the  production  of  coloured  glass  was  already  known  in  the  9*^  century,  we  cannot  speak  of 
glass-painting^efore  the  close  of  the  10''^  century.  At  that  time  the  first  trials  were  made  to  shade  glass 
panes,  stained  in  the  substance,  by  melting  a  darker  colour  upon  them,  and  in  tlie  13^'^  century  the  makers 
proceeded  to  cover  or  "flash"  transparent  glass  (which  had,  however,  always  a  greenish-yellow  hue),  with 

coloured  glass  and  to  engrave  the  design  on  to  the  latter,  so  that  according  to 
the  requirements  the  flashed  glass  had  more  or  less  thickness  in  some  places  or 
was  even  entirely  removed.  Then  these  colourless  places  were  often  painted 
with  another  colour,  and  in  order  to  produce  a  greater  richness  of  eff"ect  different 
colours  were  laid  on  both  sides  of  the  glass.  Finally  the  glass  was  framed 
together  with  lead-lines  so  as  to  form  the  required  design. 

In  the  Romanesque  period  glass  paintings  still  bear  quite  the  character  of 
carpets,  the  place  of  which  they  in  reality  supply.  The  window  surface  is  covered 
with  ribbon  and  leaf  ornaments,  in  the  midst  of  which,  we  find  however,  very 
early  medallions  with  small  figure  representations ;  less  frequent!}'  we  meet  with 
standing  figures,  filling  up  the  whole  window.  The  single  figures  are  still  heavy 
and  clumsily  drawn. 

Key  to  figures  on  plate.   


Fig.  I — 6.  From  the  cathedral  at  Chartres. 

,,7.  „      „  abbey  church  at  St.  Denis. 

„  8.  v      11  church  St.  Urbain  at  Troyes. 

„  9.  „      ..  cathedral  at  Tro3'es. 

,,  10.  „      „  „         at  Laon. 

„  II  and  12.   From  the  cathedral  at  Angers. 

„  13  and  14.       ,.  „    Samaritan  church  at  Bourges. 

„  15.  „  .,    cathedral  at  Bourges. 

„  16.  „  „  „        at  Chalons. 

„  17  and  18.       „  „    St.  Chapelle  at  Paris. 

„  19.  ..  „    minster  of  Strassburg. 

„  20 — 23.  „  „    choir  of  the  upper  church  of  S.  Francesco  at  Assisi. 

„  24.  .,  „    church  S.  Paolo  fuori-le-mura  at  Rome  (modern). 

„  25.  „  „    National  collection  of  Antiquities  at  Stuttgart. 


STAINED  GLASS 


0 


MIDDLE  AGES 


STONE  MOSAIC 


Plate  43. 


Middle  Ages. 

Stone  Mosaic. 


Where  stones  of  various  colours  for  artistic  floor -incrustation  were  not  available,  glazed  tiles  or 
engraved  flag-stones  were  often  used.    Such  flag-stones,  with  the  designs  executed  in  coloured  cement,  we  met 

with  already,  when  speaking  of  Arabian  ornamentation,  likewise 
with  small  tiles  joined  together  as  a  kind  of  mosaic -flooring 
(Fig.  9 — 16).  In  the  latter  case  we  find,  especially  in  the 
period  of  the  predominance  of  the  Romanesque  style,  either 
each  single  colour  represented  by  a  corresponding  little  plaque 
(Fig.  13 — 16),  or  the  ornament  impressed  on  a  tile,  the 
ridges  filled  up  with  variously  coloured  cement,  and  the 
whole  finally  faced  with  transparent  glazing,  (Fig.  17 — 27). 

Besides  this,  there  arose  the  custom,  which  spread  es- 
pecially during  the  Gothic  period,  of  drawing  on  the  separate 
tiles  a  sunk  or  raised  design  by  means  of  a  model.  It  took 
usually  four  of  these  little  tiles  put  together  to  form  the  in- 
tended ornament;  they  were  left  in  their  natural  colour  and 
frequently  glazed. 

In  the  mosaic-like  composition  simple  geometrical  pat- 
terns are  almost  exclusively  met  with,  whereas,  in  the  other 
kinds  of  floor- incrustation  mentioned  above,  human  figures, 
animals  and  plants  are  chiefly  represented.  Among  the  plants 
the  lily  is  most  variously  idealised,  and  as  in  glass  painting, 
oak  and  vine  leaves  are  everywhere  repeated. 


Fig.  I — 8.  Engraved  flag-stones  from  the  old  cathedral  at  St.  Omer,  XIII  century  (ground  brown, 

interior  design  of  horse  and  horseman  filled  up  with  red). 
„    9  and  10.  Mosaic  floors  of  burnt  clay,  glazed,  from  a  collection  at  Dresden  (black  and  red 

centres  with  white  edging)  XIII  century. 
„  II  and  12.  Mosaic  floors  of  burnt  clay,  glazed,  from  the  Monastery-church  of  Colombe  les-Sens 

(red,  black  and  yellow),  XII  century. 
„  13  and  14.  Mosaic  floors  of  burnt  clay,  glazed,  from  the  abbey-church  of  St.  Denis  (red,  black 

and  yellow),  XII  century. 
,,  15  and  16.  Mosaic  floors    of  burnt   clay,    glazed,   from   the   old   abbey-church   at  Pontigny, 

XII  century  (yellow,  red  and  black  on  green  ground). 
,,  17  —  23.  Glazed-tiles  from  St.  Pierre-sur-Dive,  XII  century  (yellow  and  black-brown). 
„  24  and  25.   „       „      from  the  church  at  Bloxham,  XIII  century  (red  and  yellow). 
„  26  and  27.   .,       .,      from  Beddington  Church  in  Surrey,  XV  century  (red  and  yellow.) 
„  28.  Engraved  glazed-tiles  from  the  town-hall  at  Ravensburg  (natural  colour  without  glazing). 
.,  29.  Engraved  glazed-tiles  from  a  patrician  house  at  Ravensburg,  XIV  century. 
„  30.  Glazed-tiles  with  deepened  ground,  natural  colour  without  glazing,  XIV  century,  from  the 

church  at  Gaildorf. 

„  31.  Glazed-tiles  with  deepened  ground  and  relief-figures  from  the  Monastery  at  Alpirsbach,  XII  cent. 


Plate  44. 


Middle  Ages. 

Wood  and  Stone  Mosaic. 


I 


t  was  no  great  step  from  adorning  walls  and  floors  with  variously  coloured  materials  to  a  similar  deco- 
ration of  wooden  objects.  Here  however,  ornamentation  was  somewhat  limited  by  the  nature  of  the  material  and 

in  consequence  vegetable  and  figure  representa- 
tions are  seldom  found,  at  least  in  the  Gothic 
style,  whereas  we  meet  most  frequently  with 
band  and  line  ornament,  in  conjunction  with 
a  kind  of  mosaic  work,  consisting  of  small 
pieces  of  wood  arranged  as  stars,  etc.  (See  also 
description  to  plate  53). 


Fig.  I  — 6.  From  a  reading  desk  in  the  cathe- 
dral of  Orvieto. 
„     7  and  8.  From  the  stalls  of  Frari  Church 
at  Venice. 

„    9  —  17.  From  the  vestry  door  in  S.  Ana- 

stasia  at  Verona. 
„  18 — 27.  From  the  stalls  in  the  minster  at 

Ulm. 


Fig.  28.  Incised  slab  in  a  church  at  Noyon  (1350). 


WOOD  MOSAIC. 


MIDDLE  AGES 


45. 


STAINED  GLASS 


Plate  45. 


Middle  Ages. 

Stained  Glass. 


Wh, 


hereas  in  the  Romanesque  period  purely  ornamental  decorations  but  in  a  perfect 
style  were  chiefly  executed,   there  took  place   a  great  change  in  this  regard  during 
the  14''^  century.    The  Romanesque  style  of  glass-painting, 
after  having  been  carried  far  into  the  Gothic  period,  was 
now  completely  superseded,   and  the  artists  were  induced 
to  fill  up  the  wide  window  openings  principally  with  orna- 
mental figures.     The  carpet- patterns ,  formerly  so  much 
in  favour,  were  frequently  employed  only  as  a  background 
for  the  figures,  a  lofty  architectural  design  being  added. 
The  idealised  foliage  and  scroll  work  however,  still  takes 
its  place  as  a  border;  but  being  treated  more  and  more 
freely  later  on,  it  frequently  degenerates  into  wild  extrava- 
gance. However,  besides  the  windows  with  figure  represen- 
tations, we  also  find  some  purely  ornamented,  a  special  ^°  figures  on  plate, 
kind  of  which,  termed  "grisaille",  is  decorated  with  a  black  design  on  colourless 
glass,  other  colours  generally  being  used  but  sparingly. 


5 

3 

Z 

6 

1 

9 

10 

12. 

II 

7 

8 

13 

Fig.  I.    From  a  choir-window  in  the  minster  of  Ulm. 

„  2  and  3.    From  the  choir-windows  of  the  Frauenkirche  at  Esslmgen. 

„  4  —  8.    In  the  National  Museum  at  Munich,  formerly  in  the  cathedral  of  Regensburg. 

„  9.    From  a  choir-window  in  the  cathedral  of  Cologne. 

„  10  and  II.    From  the  choir  of  the  cloister-church  at  Konigsfelden  (Switzerland). 

„  12.  From  one  of  the  aisle-windows  of  the  upper  church  of  S.  Francesco  at  Assisi. 

„  13  and  14.  From  the  side-aisle-windows  of  the  lower  church  of  S.  Francesco  at  Assisi. 

,,  15.    Window  from  "Lacroix,  le  Moyen-age  et  la  Renaissance"  Paris. 


15- 


Plate  46. 


Middle  Ages. 

Ornamental  Architecture  and  Sculpture. 


I 


n  the  Gothic  style  we  find  throughout  (setting  aside  the  degenerations  of  the  latest  Gothic  period)  the 
decorations  subordinate  to  the  architecture.  Therefore,  according  to  this  principle,  the  ornament  nowhere 
predominates  over  the  architectonic  structure,  it  never  becomes  independent,  but  serves  onl}-  to  supplement 
harmoniously  the  impression  of  the  architecture,  or  to  mark  out  single  mouldings  according  to  requirement. 
In  this  way  especially  the  pointed-arch  doors  and  windows,  the  boldly -rising  towers  and  turrets,  the 
pinnacles,  the  capitals  and  cornices,  and  the  stalls  and  galleries  have  ornamental  decoration,  with  which  also  the 
smaller  objects,  such  as  household  furniture  and  sacred  utensils,  are  not  at  all  sparingly  supplied. 

The  capitals  of  the  columns  represent  in  most  cases  only  a  bell-shaped  enlargement  of  the  shaft, 
around  which  leaves  and  flowers  are  wound  in  a  free  style  (Fig.  15  — 17).    In  general  the  employment  of 

floral  decoration  is  very  extended;  for  instance  the  crockets  on 
the  edges  of  the  gables  and  tower-pyramids  are  in  reality  nothing 
else  than  leaves  freely  transformed;  likewise  the  key-stones  of  the 
vaults,  the  consoles  etc.  are  very  frequently  adorned  with  foliage. 

From  the  manner  of  treatment  of  these  leaves  and  flowers 
can  be  determined  pretty  nearly  to  which  period  a  building  or  a 
piece  of  carving  belongs.  For,  whereas  in  the  first  Gothic  period 
(XIII  century)  a  full  and  large  treatment  prevails,  idealising  the 
natural  forms  only  slightly  (Fig.  4,  5,  6,  15,  16,  21),  later  on  a 
bolder  execution  gains  ground  (Fig.  10 — 12);  whilst  in  the  last 
Gothic  period  a  gradual  departure  from  the  natural  forms  is  evident, 
all  foliage  having  a  knotty  appearance,  which  produces  on  the  one 
side  a  certain  rigidness  (Fig.  8,  9,  22),  and  on  the  other  sometimes  a 
want  of  repose  (Fig.  17,  18,  20).  This  want  arises  particularly  also 
from  the  common  practice  of  undercutting  the  leaves  so  freely,  that 
they  appear  scarcely  affixed,  the  consequence  of  which  is  frequently 
a  too  hard  change  of  light  and  shade. 
The  foliage  of  the  native  plants  is  in  special  favour.  Everywhere  we  meet  with  the  leaves  of  the 
vine,  thistle,  oak  and  beech,  of  ivy  and  trefoil,  of  roses  etc.,  most  of  these  plants  being  symbolically  used. 

Human  figures  and  animals  are  often  humorously  employed  in  the  gargoyles ;  also  consoles,  ke}- 
stones  and  particularly  the  pediments  or  gables  above  the  doors  are  adorned  with  figure  representations. 


Fig.  I.  Carved  figure  from  the  stalls  of  the  Minster  at  Ulm. 
Projecting  bracket  of  a  miserere  of  the  same  stalls. 
Key-stone  decoration  from  the  cathedral  at  Naumburg. 
Projecting  bracket  of  a  capital  from  the  church  at  Gelnhausen. 

„  ,.        ,,    „      „      of  French  origin. 

Finial  from  Notre-dame  at  Paris. 
Crocket  of  a  finial  from  Notre-dame,  Paris. 

Finial  from  the  tabernacle  of  the  former  hospital-church  at  Esslingen. 
Crocket  from  Nuremberg. 

„  ,,     Cologne  Cathedral. 

II  and  12.  Arch-decoration,  Cologne  Cathedral. 
13  and  14.  Gargoyles  from  Cologne  Cathedral. 
15.  Capital  of  French  origin. 

„       from  the  cloister  of  the  church  at  Wimpfen-im-Thal. 
„       from  the  bell-hall  of  the  Frauenkirche  at  Esslingen. 
„       from  the  font  in  the  Marienkirche  at  Reutlingen. 
Cornice  decoration  on  the  cathedral  of  Troyes. 

20.  Carved  and  pierced  panel  of  a  little  shrine-door  of  French  origin. 

21.  Cavetto-decoration  from  the  church  at  Wimpfen-im-Thal. 

22.  „  ,.         from  Nuremberg. 

23  —  27.  Various  ornaments  from  the  Marienkirche  at  Reutlingen. 


I. 
2. 
3- 
4- 
5- 
6. 

7- 
8. 

9- 
10. 


16. 
17. 
18. 
19- 


21.  20  22. 


ORNAMENTAL  ARCHITECTURE  AND  SCULPTURE. 


Plate  47- 


Middle  Ages. 

Weaving,  Embroidery,  Enamel  and  Polychrome  Sculpture. 

Weavings  and  embroideries,  a  great  number  of  which  were,  during  the  Gothic  period,  made  especially 
in  monasteries,  followed  at  first  the  examples  from  the  South  and  East  (Fig.  ii).    But  this  imitation 
was  more  and  more  rejected,  and  perference  given  to  decoration  with  flowers  and  leaves,  rigorously  idealised 

without  excluding  the  figure  element.  The  latter  was  employed 
specially  in  ecclesiastical  robes,  curtains  and  carpets  in  churches, 
where  they  involved  a  symbolical  meaning. 

If  we  bear  in  mind  the  influence  exercised  in  earlier  times 
by  Byzantine  and  Arabian  art,  we  cannot  wonder,  that  the  linear 
ornament  preserved  its  place  in  the  Italian  Gothic  style  (Fig.  6 — 9) 
Compare  also  Plate  49,  fig.  13,  16,  19. 

Wood  or  stone  sculptures  were  frequently  painted,  in  which 
case  the  patterns  of  the  robes  usually  show  the  above  mentioned 
motives. 

Fig.  12  and  13  pertain  already  to  the  transition  of  the  Gothic 
to  the  Renaissance  style. 

Enamel  was  most  richly  applied  to  the  splendid  reliquaries, 
especially  in  the  13''^  century;  here,  however,  the  Romanesque 
22.    Key-stone  in  the  cathedral  at  Stuttgart.     fo™s  of  decoration  still  prevailed. 


Fig.  I.   Statue  of  St.  Simon  in  the  choir  of  Cologne  Cathedral. 
„     2.   Pattern  on  the  robe  of  another  statue  ,,  „ 
„     3.   Embroidered  fringe  of  French  origin.  XIV  century. 

„     4.   Embroidered  stuif  (in  the  original,  silver  is  employed  instead  of  gold).  XV  centy. 
„     5-  „  „     XIV  centy. 

„  6-9.  Borders  and  patterns  of  carpets  from  the  wall-paintings  in  the  upper  church  of  S.  Fran- 
cesco at  Assisi.    XIV  centy. 

.,   10.   Pattern  of  a  carpet  from  a  tempera  painting  of  Niccolo  Alunno  (1466)  in  the  Pinacotheca 

at  Perugia. 

„   II.    Sicilian  weaving  from  St.  Mary's  church  at  Danzig.    XIII  centy. 

„   12.   Border  of  a  carpet  on  the  painting  of  Hugo  van  der  Goes  in  the  Gallery  of  the  Uffizi 

at  Florence.   XV  centy. 

„   13.  „   ,.      „      on  a  picture  of  Mantegna  in  S.  Zeno  at  Verona.  Close  of  the  XV.  cent. 

„   14.   Border  from  an  embroidered  chasuble.   XIV  centy  (German  work). 

„    15  and  16.    Patterns  of  stuffs  from  the  XIV  centy,  of  French  origin. 

,.   17.    Gilt  copper-engraving  from  the  cross-relics-table  in  the  church  at  Mettlach. 

„   18  —  20.   Enamelled  decorations  on  the  shrine  of  the  Three  Kings   in  Cologne  Cathedral. 

Beginning  of  the  XIII  centy. 
„  21.   Enamelled  border  from  the  beginning  of  the  XIII  centy  in  the  Musee  de  Cluny. 


Plate  48. 


Middle  Ages. 

Illumination  of  Manuscripts. 

In  the  illumination  of  manuscripts  the  more  lively  forms  of  the  ornament  gradually  superseded  the  round, 
surface-filling  forms  of  the  Romanesque  style.  The  flowers  were  partly  idealised,  and  partly  taken  direct  from 
nature.  Fig.  8  and  13  illustrate  how  both  kinds  of  treatment  were  often  combined,  especially  in  the  later 
Gothic  time.  Characteristic  of  this  period  is  a  deep  shading,  as  well  as  the  use  of  half  tones,  and  the 
laying  on  of  lights. 

Remarkable  is  the  variety  and  splendour  of  the  colours  which  represent  the  abundance  and  bright- 
ness of  the  flowers  in  the  miniatures  of  the  manuscripts  of  this  period. 


Fig.  I — 4.   From  a  XIV  century  manuscript. 
„     5  — 13.   Manuscript  with  single  leaves  and  flowers  of  the  XV  century. 
„     14.   Painting  from  the  ceiling  of  the  vestibule  of  the  cathedral  at  Freiburg. 


ILLUMINATION  OF  MANUSCRIPTS 


MIDDLE  AGES 


CEILING-  AND  WALL-PAINTING 


Plate  49. 


Middle  Ages. 

Ceiling  and  Wall  Painting. 

Ihe  further  progress  in  wall-painting  in  the  Gothic  period  was  somewhat  impeded  by  the  want  of  wall- 
surfaces  suitable  to  the  reception  of  larger  pictures,  whereas  sufficient  opportunity  was  given  for  ornament- 
ation. 

The  occurring  figures  were 
influenced  by  the  upward 
direction  and  the  frequent 
narrowness  of  the  space  at 
disposal,  wherefore  they  of- 
ten exhibit  a  too  slender 
appearance.  But  differing 
from  the  Romanesque  figures, 
nearly  all  of  them  show  a 
certain  life  and  grace  in  atti- 
tude and  gesture,  which  led, 
however,  in  the  further  deve- 
lopment to  somewhat  tor- 
tuous and  mannered  postures. 
(Compare  Fig.  4  and  Plate  42, 
Fig.  I.) 

The  folds  of  the  robes  flow 
softly  down  in  long,  beautiful 
lines,  the  outlines  of  the  dra- 
pery are  black  and  there 
occurs  very  little  shading 
with  variegated  colours.  In 
Fig.  I  shading  is  done  with 
black  hatching.  Fig.  17  gives 
an  example  of  the  way  in 
L""'"'"  1  '  1  1  '  '  '  1  |.n.ri  which  the  Antique  begins  to 

Fig.  22.  Ceiling  of  the  wood  baldachin  above  the  abbot's  seat  in  the  convent  church      assert  itself  and  to  lead  into 

at  Blaubeuren.  the  Renaissance. 


Fig.  I.   From  a  painting  in  the  hospital  church  at  Stuttgart.   XV  century. 

„  2.   Portion  of  Fig.  22.    Painted  flat  ornament,  the  ground  being  deepened. 

,,  3  and  4.   From  the  church  at  Brauweiler.  XIV  centy. 

„  5.   From  a  chapel  at  Ramersdorf.    XIV  centy. 

.,  6  and  7.   From  the  collegiate  church  at  Fritzlar.    XV  centy. 

,,  8.   From  the  Jacobin  church  at  Agen.    XIII  centy. 

„  9  and  10.   From  the  Ste.  Chapelle  at  Paris.    XIII  centy. 

„  II  — 19.  „        „    upper  church  of  San  Francesco  at  Assisi. 

„  20  and  21.      „        „    lower  church         .,  ..  „  „ 


Plate  50. 


Italian  Renaissance. 

Stained  Glass. 

A 

XA-Iready  in  the  Gothic  period,  the  practice  of  filling  in  window-openings  with  stained  class,  declined  more 
and  more.  In  its  place  (especially  in  the  beginning  of  the  Renaissance  style),  small  glass  paintings  on 
colourless  ground  were  employed,  these  were  often  encircled  with  borders  and  framings,  generally  so  elabo- 
rately ornamented  that  they  seem  to  form  the  chief  decoration.  The  subjects  of  the  paintings  are  generally 
plants  and  animals,  but  often  include  human  figures;  neither  are  all  kinds  of  symbolic  subjects  and  figures 
wanting,  as  a  glance  at  the  annexed  plate  shows;  but  these  certainly  belong  to  a  later  time  of  the  Renais- 
sance period. 


Fig.  I.   From  the  National  Museum  in  the  Bargello  at  Florence,  drawn  by  H.  Dolmetsch. 

„     2 — 8.    From  the  Certosa  near  Florence  (by  Giovanni  da  Udine),   drawn  by  Reg.-Baumeister 

Borkhardt  and  Architect  Eckert  in  Stuttgart. 


Fig.  9.    1' roni  a  window  of  the  Laurentian  Library  at  Florence. 


ITALIAN  RENAISSANCE 


51 


POLYCHROME  POTTERY 


Plate  51. 


Italian  Renaissance. 

Polychrome  Pottery. 


O, 


wing  to  the  nature  of  the  material  and  method  of  manufacture,  it  was  not  possible  for  floors  and  wall 
linings  executed  in  glazed  tiles  to  be  so  minutely  and  elaborately  decorated  as  when  marble  was  employed. 
Therefore,  when  the  "technique"  goes  beyond  the  simple  geometric  pattern,  the  ornaments,  which  for  the 
most  part  bear  resemblance  to  B3'zantine  and  Oriental  models,  are  rather  modest,  but  all  the  more  clear 
and  vigorous.  Their  effect,  however,  is  still  increased  by  the  excellent  combination  of  colours,  although, 
in  wise  moderation,  rarely  more  than  4  colours  were  used. 

In  the  manufacture  of  floor  tiles  and  wall  linings,  the  school  of  Delia  Robbia  attained  special  celebrity, 
hence  such  work  has  come  to  be  known  as  "Delia  Robbian''  ware. 


Fig.  18.    Tile  from  the  Oratory  of  St.  Catharine  at  Siena. 

Fig.  I,  6,  9,  II,  12,  13,  14  and  15.   Dado  tiles  on  the  staircase-walls  of  the  house  Nr.  26  in 

Via  Luccoli  at  Genoa. 

„     2,  3,  4,  5,  7,  8  and  10.   Dado  tiles  in  the  house  Nr.  10  in  Via  S.  Matteo  at  Genoa. 
„   16  and  17.   Floor  tiles  from  San  Fetronio  at  Bologna. 


Plate  52. 


Italian  Renaissance. 

Ornamental  Painting. 

It  was  at  the  commencement  of  the  1 5 ''^  century,  that  the  Renaissance  style  began 
to  make  its  first  appearance  in  Italy,  and  the  period  till  about  1550  ma}'  be  called 
the  Early  Renaissance,  in  centra-distinction  to  the  Later  Renaissance  wich  lasted  till 
the  middle  of  the  17^'^  century. 

The  Renaissance  was  a  new  adaptation,  not  a  servile  imitation,  but  a  free  treat- 
ment of  antique  forms ;  the  plainest  evidence  of  this  is  given  by  the  ornament,  of  which 
this  style  makes  a  richer  and  ampler  use  than  any  other.  This  applies  more  parti- 
cularly to  the  motives  we  meet  with;  and  here  we  observe  above  all  the  floral 
ornament,  which  in  Early  Renaissance  generally  covers  the  ground  only  moderately. 
We  find  almost  everywhere  delicate,  beautifully  curved  branches  in  a  symmetrical  or 
at  least  regular  arrangement,  in  which  the  antique  acanthus-leaf  acts  the  principal 
part,  although,  not  without  the  most  various  transformations.  Also  vine,  laurel,  ivy  etc. 
are  frequently  employed,  partly  copying  nature  directly,  partly  idealised.  But  this  foliage 
with  its  branches  and  fruit  is  still  enlivened  by  a  rich  variation  of  animals,  fantastical 
beings,  human  figures  as  well  as  symbolical  subjects,  arms,  masks,  emblems,  vases, 
candelabras  etc.  Most  cultivated  is  the  combination  of  human  figures  and  animals 
with  floral  motifs  (Fig.  3 ;  compare  also  plate  45).  Finally  a  not  less  important 
part  of  the  decoration  is  that  in  which  coats  of  arms  and  escutcheons  are  employed, 
forming  decorative  friezes  on  house  fronts  in  the  Early  Renaissance  period  and  latei' 
on  taking  the  form  of  cartouches. 


1—7.   From  the  front  of  a  house  in  Genoa  (Via  San  Matteo.   Nr.  10). 
8.         Front  of  the  court  of  'Casa  Taverna'  at  Milan. 
9 — II.    ,,  ,,      ,,      ,,  Palazzo  Piccolomini  at  Pienza. 

12.        Design  for  a  candelabrum, 


ITALIAN  RENAISSANCE. 


52 


—     —  1  |a|  1  a  i  a  a  a  1  11 B  a  g  II  a  a  a  8  f  '  ' '  • 


ORNAMENTAL  PAINTING. 


ITALIAN  RENAISSANCE 


WOOD-MOSAIC 


Fig.  14.   From  the  choir-stalls  in  the  Cathedral  at  Genoa. 


Plate  53. 

Italian  Renaissance. 

Intarsia,  or  Wood  Mosaic. 

Woo  d-carving  in  general  flourished  during  the  Renaissance  period,  especially  the  branch  termed  Intarsia, 
i.  e.  inlaid  wood-work,  with  which  stalls,  shrines  in  vestries  etc.,  were  richly  decorated.  As  far  as  the 
subjects  represented  are  concerned  there  is  actually  no  restriction,  for  we  meet  with  a  great  variety  of 
complete  pictures  as  well  as  perspective  views  and  ornaments.  The  latter,  for  the  most  part  light  on  dark 
grounds,  present  an  abundance  of  idealised  floral  motives,  mixed  or  combined  with  representations  of  various 
vases,  vessels,  human  figures,  etc.  The  arrangement  of  the  scroll-work  is  strictly  symmetrical,  at  least  on 
regular,  framed  surfaces,  where  also  the  acanthus-leaf  is  in  the  rirst  place  made  use  of,  but  it  is  singular 
to  observe,  that  the  points  of  the  leaves  are  influenced  by  the  mode  of  making  them. 


Fig.  I.        From  the  choir-stalls  in  S.  Anastasia  at  Verona. 

„     2.        From  the  dado  of  the  vestry-shrines  in  S.  Maria- in -Organo. 

.,     3  —  7.  From  the  choir-stalls  in  S.  Maria -in -Organo. 

„     8.        From  the  choir-stalls  in  Monte  Oliveto  Maggiore. 

„    9-  20.      „      „       „        .,     in  S.  Petronio  at  Bologna.    (Ground  of  the  centre  compart- 
ments black). 

,,11  —  13.     "      "       -1        r         the  Certosa  near  Pavia.    (In  Fig.  12  ground  black). 


Plate 


54- 


Italian  Renaissance. 

Painted  Ceilings. 

the  ceilings  of  churches  and  palaces,  whether  arched  or  Iiorizontal  wood-ceilings,  a  rich  field  of 
activity  was  opened  to  the  genius  of  artists.  The  most  distinguished  masters  did  not  disdain  to  improve 
the  ornamentation  by  framing  their  frescoes  with  decorations  of  their  own  invention  (Fig.  I  and  2).  In 
these  ornaments,  vegetable  and  animal  motives  being  mixed,  the  ground  is  mostly  light,  the  colours  them- 
selves being  cheerful  and  bright.  Besides  these,  however,  more  simple  patterns  are  not  wanting.  Where 
figure  representations  are  missing,  their  place  is  supplied  by  painted  coffers  or  rosettes,  edged  with  geome- 
trical ornaments.  It  is  noticeable  how  such  coloured  ornaments  are  combined  with  more  or  less  simple 
stucco  decorations,  the  latter  however  being  often,  as  in  Fig.  i,  strikingly  imitated  with  the  brush.  The 
two  rosettes  (Fig.  11  and  12)  certainl}'  belong,  in  respect  of  their  origin,  to  a  period  antecedent  to  that 
of  the  Renaissance,  but  in  their  formation  they  already  show  an  evident  affinity  to  Renaissance  work. 


Fig.  I — 4.    From  the  choir  in  S.  Maria  del  Popolo  at  Rome.    (By  Pinturicchio.) 
„     5.    From  one  of  the  Borgia  chambers  in  the  Vatican  at  Rome. 
„     6  and  g.    Patterns  from  the  arch-panels  in  the  Certosa  near  Pavia. 
„     7  and  10.    Borders  round  these  panels. 

.,    II  and  12.    Medallions  from  the  vault-panels  in  S.  Francesco  at  Lodi. 


Fig.  13.    From  the  Loggia  of  Ra]ihael  in  the  Vatican, 


ITALIAN  RENAISSANCE. 


PAINTED  CEILINGS. 


ITALIAN  RENAISSANCE. 


55 


LACES. 


Plate  55. 


Italian  Renaissance. 

Laces. 


e  art  of  lace-making,  unknown  to  the  ancients,  and  not  brought  to  artistic  perfection  previously  to  the 
close  of  the  15*^  century,  may  truly  be  called  a  creation  of  the  Renaissance.  And  it  is  the  soil  of  Italy, 
principally  the  two  cities  of  Venice  and  Genoa,  to  which  we  owe  the  needle-made  lace  as  well  as  the 
finest  kind  of  pillow-lace.  The  former  (the  so-called  point)  is  generally  considered  to  be  the  more  precious 
kind.    The  method  of  making  it  —  ground  and  ornament  consisting  of  nothing  but  an  infinity  of  stitches 

made  a  jour  —  admits  of  an  extremely 
delicate  and  graceful  formation.  But  its  exe- 
cution requires  a  very  complicated  and  diffi- 
cult process,  as  only  small  pieces  of  about 
four  inches  in  dimension  can  be  made  at  a 
time,  which,  after  being  done,  must  be  joined 
so  as  to  form  a  complete  whole,  for  which 
reason,  in  designing  the  patterns,  the  neces- 
sity of  a  scarcely  visible  joining  of  the 
several  parts  must  be  taken  into  account. 
The  most  esteemed  of  the  sewed  lace  is  the 
Venetian  point  in  relief,  all  leaves,  flowers 
etc.  which  show  raised  edges.  A  still  higher 
degree  of  perfection  in  this  kind  of  lace  is 
attained  in  work  with  leaves  in  high  relief  (Fig.  7  and  8).  The  way  of  making  pillow-lace  (dentelles)  con- 
sists in  dexterous  twisting  and  plaiting  of  the  threads  after  an  ingenious  system.  As  regards  the  fineness 
of  this  pillow  lace  there  are  considerable  differences  in  its  degree,  which  exercise  the  greatest  influence  on 
the  difficulty  of  the  work,  as  well  as  on  its  costliness. 

Lace  ornament  follows  closely  other  Renaissance  ornament,  with  the  only  restriction,  that  here,  of 
course,  floral  motives  prevail,  without  exclusion,  however,  of  figure  representations  such  as  birds  etc. 


Fig 

I,  2  and  3. 

Venetian  point  lace. 

4,  5  and  6. 

Venetian  point  lace  in  relief. 

7  and  8. 

Do.  with  highly  raised  leaves. 

7) 

9- 

Roselina  lace. 

5» 

10. 

Reticella  lace. 

r 

1 1. 

Italian  Guipure. 

71 

12. 

Genoa  church  lace. 

13- 

Collar  in  Venetian  Guipure. 

51 

14. 

Needle  lace  of  the  1$^^  century  in 

Needle-made. 


Pillow-made. 


at  Leipzig. 


Plate  56. 


Italian  Renaissance. 

Embroidery  and  Carpet  Weaving, 

In  accordance  with  its  love  of  pomp  and  splendour,  the  Renaissance  period  did  not  fail  to  express  this 
disposition  by  making  skilfully  embroidered  robes,  carpets,  etc.  Churches  especially  were  richly  furnished 
with  such  vestments. 

Embroidery,  either  applique  or  flat  work,  the  latter  frequently  relief-like,  took  its  motives  from  the 
same  sources  as  other  branches  of  art,  and  examples  are  often  found  in  which  figure  subjects  or  portraits 
are  introduced  in  circular  medallions. 


Carpet- weaving ,  inasmuch  as  it  is  not  fancy  -  weaving,  but  applying  geometric  or  floral  designs, 
follows  in  the  main  features  Byzantine  and  Oriental  examples. 

Here  also  bright  colours  are  in  great  favour,  and  especially  for  embroidered  fabrics,  gold  is  used 
everywhere,  in  accordance  with  the  general  inclination  for  ostentatious  display. 


Fig.  I.    Embroidery  on  an  ecclesiastical  mantle  in  S.  Croce  at  Florence. 

2.    Embroidered  velvet  cover  in  the  'Museum  vaterlandischer  Altertiimer'  at  Stuttgart. 
,.    3.    Embroidered  velvet-border  from  a  chasuble,  in  the  same  Museum. 
„    4.    Silk-embroidery  in  applique  work  from  a  chasuble,  in  the  same  Museum. 
„     5.    Relief-embroidery  in  gold  upon  silk  from  a  chasuble,  in  the  same  Museum. 
„    6  and  7.    Silk-embroideries  in  applique  work  upon  damask-ground. 
„    8.    Carpet-border  from  a  Venetian  picture  at  Verona. 
„    9.    Do.  from  a  picture  by  Paolo  Giolfino  in  the  museum,  at  Verona. 

Do.     „     „       „       by  Moroni  in  the  Pinacothec  at  Munich. 
..  II.    Tapestry  in  the  Vatican  at  Rome  after  a  design  by  Raphael. 


ITALIAN  RENAISSANCE. 


57 


Plate  57. 


Italian  Renaissance. 

Sgraffito,  Marble  Mosaic  and  Stucco  Reliefs 

graffito  ornament  is  not  to  be  considered  as  mere  flat  ornament,  for  it 
shows  for  the  most  part  a  tendency  to  imitate  plastic  decoration  by  design, 
without  however  having  other  tones  of  colour  at  disposal,  other  than  black, 
white  and  grey,  the  latter  being  produced  by  hatching. 

The  process  of  making  sgraffito  consists  in  covering  the  surface 
to  be  decorated  with  dark  stucco,  which  is  afterwards  white -washed  with 
lime  water.  The  required  designs  are  then  produced  by  scraping  away  with 
iron  styles,  as  far  as  required,  the  upper  coat  of  white,  revealing  thereby 
the  dark  ground  underneath.  By  this  simple  process  sgraffito,  in  opposition 
to  painted  and  inlaid  ornaments,  keeps  more  the  character  of  a  design, 
notwithstanding  which,  by  a  judicious  distribution  of  light  and  shade,  com- 
positions of  a  grand  and  rich  effect  are  often  attained. 

On  sgraffito-fronts  plaster  mouldings  appear  only  rarely,  for  often  the 
very  frame  of  the  architecture  is  suggested  by  means  of  sgraffito. 

As  regards  ornamental  flooring  in  Renaissance  art,  besides  the  geo- 
metrical mosaic-work  (as  it  occurs  in  the  early  Christian  and  middle  ages) 
we  meet  with  marble  inlay  and  niello-marbles.  In  order  to  make  the 
former,  the  cut-out  marble  pieces  are  inlaid  in  the  correspondingly  hollowed 
out  ground,  whereas  for  making  niello-marbles,  the  deepened  places  are 
filled  up  with  black  or  red  stucco,  or  sometimes  with  metal.  The  colour 
of  these  floor  decorations  is  always  simple  in  treatment ;  whereas  the  designs 
frequently  go  beyond  the  legitimate  bounds  of  ornament,  as  for  instance 
in  the  cathedral  at  Siena,  the  renowned  floor  of  which  shows  many  figured 
historical  representations,  sometimes  together  with  perspective  architecture. 

Stucco  reliefs  are  mostly  made  without  the  assistance  of  coloured 
contrasts,  the  ground  only  being  made  rough,  above  which  the  flatly  treated 
ornament  rises  but  a  little. 


Fig.  1.    Sgraffito  on  a  house  at  Rome.    Via  Giulia  Nr.  82. 
,,     2.         ,,        ,,         ,,       ,,      ,,        Via  dei  Coronari  Nr.  148. 

3.         ,,        ,,   ,,      ,,       ,,      ,,        Vicolo  Calabraga  Nr.  31  and  32. 
,,    4.         ,,        ,,   ,,     ,,      ,,      ,,        Vigna  alia  via  Porta  S.  Sebastiano 

Nr.  27. 

,,     5and6.  ,,        ,,   ,,     ,,      ,,  Borgo  al  vicolo  del  Campanile  Nr.  4. 

,,     7.    Inlaid  marble-work  on  the  floor  of  the  cathedral  at  Siena. 
,,     8  and  9.  ,,        ,,        ,,      from  a  tomb-plate  in  San  Giovanni  e  Paolo 

at  Venice. 

,,   10.  ,,        ,,        ,,      from  a  tomb-plate  in  San  Giovanni  in  Sta.  C  oce 

at  Florence. 

,,   II.  ,,        ,,        ,,      from  a  tomb-plate  in  San  Giovanni  in  the  Frari- 

church  at  Venice. 

,,  1 2  and  13.  Stucco  reliefs  from  tomb-plates  in  Sta.  Maria  del  Popolo  at  Rome. 
,,   14  and  15.       ,,        ,,      from  the  tomb  of  Vendramin  in  San  Giovanni  e 

Paolo  at  Venice. 

,,  16.    From  the  Loggia  of  Raphael. 


Plate  58. 


mmmmmMMmimiM^ 


Italian  Renaissance. 

Painted  Walls  and  Ceilings. 

(^^rnamental  wall  and  ceiling  painting  of  the 
Renaissance  is  represented  in  its  highest  beauty 
and  dignity  by  the  works  of  Raphael  and  his 
school,  especially  in  the  Loggia  of  the  Vatican. 
Although  a  great  part  of  those  paintings  are 
not  from  Raphael's  own  hand,  yet  they  were 
carried  out  by  his  pupils  after  the  master's 
design,  and  in  his  spirit.  We  cannot  fail  to 
recognize  however,  that  the  Thermae  of  Titus, 
shortly  before  discovered  at  Rome,  exercised 
a  great  influence,  especially  in  the  combination 
of  stucco  with  marble;  and  not  only  led  the 
master  to  imitate,  but  also  incited  him  to  create 
new  variations  of  motives  for  figures,  garlands 
etc.  Thus  the  Vatican  presents  a  richness  of 
paintings,  in  which  the  figures  and  ornaments, 
decoration  and  architecture,  and  more  par- 
ticularly the  colours,  are  balanced  in  perfect 
proportions.  The  prevalence  of  secondary 
colours  is  also  remarkable.    (Fig.  2.) 

To  a  pupil  of  Raphael  also,  Pierino,  the 
paintings  in  the  Palazzo  Doria  at  Genoa  are  to 
be  ascribed.  Although  they  do  not  equal  the 
superiority  of  Raphael's  works,  yet  they  are 
throughout  beautiful  in  their  details,  and  ex- 
liibit  great  ingenuity  in  the  combination  of 
the  colours. 

Concerning  the  motives  employed,  com- 
pare the  above  with  plate  45  and  those 
which  follow. 


Fig.  I.    Ceiling-painting  in  the  Palazzo 

Doria  at  Genoa. 
,,    2.    Pilaster  decoration  from  the  Loggia 

of  the  Vatican  at  Rome. 
,,    3  and  4.    Panels  in  a  window  recess  in 

the  Vatican  Museum,  Rome. 
,,    5.    From  the  Loggia  of  Raphael. 


ITALIAN  RENAISSANCE.  58 


PAINTED  WALLS  AND  CEILINGS. 


ITALIAN  RENAISSANCE 


Plate  59. 


Italian  Renaissance. 

Illumination,  Weaving  and  Marble-Mosaic. 


he  invention  of  the  art  of  printing  had  far-reaching  effects  upon  the  art  of  illuminating  manuscripts.  For 
in  proportion  as  the  multiplication  of  literary  productions  became  easier  and  simpler  and  hence  their  market- 
price  considerably  cheaper,  so  much  less  labour  was  bestowed  upon  the  artistic  deco- 
ration by  painting,  particularly  since  the  new  art  offered  also  the  means  of  producing 
beautiful  initials  and  title-pages.  Notwithstanding  this  we  find,  even  at  that  time, 
many  artists  occupied  in  illumination;  for  in  the  period  of  the  Renaissance  the  printing 
of  books  did  not  embrace  all  branches  of  literature,  and  even  m  printed  books  a  title 
executed  by  hand,  or  initials  beautifully  decorated,  especially  with  different  colours, 
were  still  favoured  by  the  public.  Therefore  that  period  gives  us  still  many  examples 
of  fine  illumination,  presenting  frequently  a  varied  mixture  of  antique,  mythological 
and  Christian  motives.  The  arabesques  of  the  initials,  as  well  as  the  leaves  and  flowers, 
show  us  fewer  natural  than  conventionally  idealised  forms. 

However,  decidedly  natural  are  these  forms  in  the  most  carefully  executed 
mosaics,  composed  of  smaller  and  larger  marble  pieces  of  the  most  varied  colours. 
With  such  decorations  table-slabs,  chests  etc.  were  embellished,  and  at  Florence  this 
technique  is  still  cultivated  with  success  up  to  the  present  day. 

The  greatest  affinity  with  the  traditional  ornament  is  manifest  in  weaving,  which, 
without  keeping  clear  of  modern  influences,  preferred  going  back  to  Oriental  models. 


Fig.  1-6 


9 
10 


Paintings  from  various  manuscripts. 

Velvet-stuff  in  the  'Museum  vaterlandischer  Altertumer'  at  Stuttgart. 
Border  from  a  silk-stuff. 

Inlaid  marble  from  a  table  in  the  National  Museum  at  Munich. 
Border  from  an  old  Italian  manuscript. 


10, 


Plate  60. 


Italian  Renaissance. 

Pottery  Painting. 

^  he  earthenware  called  'majolica'  in  all  probability  derives  its  name  from  the  island  of  Majorca,  where 
glazed  pottery  was  extensively  manufactured,  especially  by  the  Moors,  and  whence  this  art  found  its  way 
into  Italy.  In  our  days  the  term  'majolica'  is  generally  applied  to  all  finer  faience- ware ,  when  executed 
with  more  care  than  coarser  pottery  i.  e.  to  such  earthenware,  the  main  substance  of  which  is  potter's 
clay  covered  with  non-transparent  glaze  and  coloured.   There  were  two  ways  of  glazing  pottery:  either  the 

vessel  of  clay  after  having  received  the  required  shape, 
was  burnt,  then  plunged  into  a  non-transparent,  tin-glazing 
fluid  and  immediately  afterwards  painted,  then  finally 
burnt  again,  or,  since  this  process  remained  for  a  long 
time  the  secret  of  a  few  masters,  one  chose  the  following 
way:  the  rude  earthen  object  was  covered  with  a  thin 
layer  of  white  pipe-clay,  and  only  after  that  was  the 
transparent  lead-glazing  put  on. 

Tin-glazing  is  believed  to  have  been  invented  by 
Lucca  della  Robbia,  who  towards  the  close  of  the  15**^ 
century  effected  thereby  a  total  change  in  the  technique. 
The  numerous  splendid  reliefs  created  by  members  of 
this  artist's  family  attained  great  celebrit)-. 

Up  to  the  present  day,  the  Italian  majolicas  of  the 
Renaissance  period  excite  our  well-deserved  admiration, 
not  only  on  account  of  the  noble  forms  of  the  various 
vessels,  but  chiefly  for  the  paintings  with  which  they 
are  covered.  Those  clay -workers  and  painters  were 
masters  of  their  branch,  and  although  the  ready  sale 
of  their  productions  induced  many  of  them  to  manufacture 
rather  mechanically,  yet  all  these  objects  manifest  a  fine 

As  regards  the  colours  used,  blue,  green,  yellow,  orange  and  violet  prevail.  Many  vessels  exhibit 
a  rich  pearly  lustre,  other  pieces  a  comparatively  rare  red  and  other  colours,  marks  which  point  to  a  certain 
master,  or  a  certain  manufactory. 

On  these  dishes,  plates,  etc.  not  only  scroll  work,  single  figures,  etc.  were  represented,  but  even 
copies  or  free  renderings  of  complete  images  and  pictures  by  famous  masters,  which  frequently  covered  the 
whole  vessel  and  the  borders  etc.  of  the  dishes. 


30. 

feeling  of  artistic  form  and  sublime  beauty. 


Fig. 

I. 

Lower  termination  of  a  Madonna-relief  by  the  Robbia-school. 

)) 

2. 

Surface-pattern  on  the  vestry-fountain  in  the  church  St.  Maria  Novella 

)! 

3- 

-5- 

Border  decorations  on  dishes  from  the  manufactory  at  Faenza. 

n 

6. 

Border  decoration  on  a  handled  vase  from  the  same. 

)l 

7- 

-9- 

Border  decorations  on  a  vase  from  the  same. 

)i 

10. 

Border  decoration  on  an  inkstand  from  the  same. 

)i 

1 1  — 

13- 

Border  decorations  on  dishes  from  the  same. 

») 

14- 

19. 

Border  decorations  on  dishes  from  the  manufactory  at  Chaffagiolo. 

)i 

20. 

„       „        „       „             „           ..  Gubbio. 

11 

21  — 

•23- 

„              „            „                „                                 „  Urbino. 

5) 

24- 

-27. 

Divers  vessels  from  the  manufactory  at  Urbino. 

)) 

28. 

Dish  from  the  manufactory  at  Pesaro. 

» 

29. 

30- 

Border  decoration  on  a  dish  from  the  manufactor}'  at  Pesaro. 
Virgin  with  Infant  from  a  church  at  Citta  di  Castello, 

POTTERY  PAINTING 


PLASTIC  ORNAMENTS  IN  MARBLE  AND  BRONZE. 


Plate  6 1 


Italian  Renaissance. 

Plastic  Ornaments  in  Marble  and  Bronze. 


arble-sculpture  revived  in  the  15^''  Century  with  a  vigour  never  known  in  former  times.  There  exists  this 
difference  between  Later  Renaissance  and  Early  Renaissance,  that  the  former  liked  strong  intersections  of  the 
flower  and  scroll-work  as  well  as  of  the  figure  element.    The  capitals  show,  especially  in  Early  Renaissance  a 

close  affinity  with  those  of  the  Corinthian  order;  but  the  volutes 
are  frequently  replaced  by  floral  motives,  mostly  however  by 
dolphins,  dragons,  cornucopiae  etc.  In  this  very  point  the  emi- 
nent productivity  of  the  Renaissance  manifests  itself  principally. 
Also  figure  adornment  of  the  capitals  is  not  wanting.  The  acan- 
thus leaf  however  appears  more  scantily,  usually  only  in  one  row. 
In  the  Later  Renaissance  the  artists  more  closely  followed  the 
antique  orders,  all  of  which  were  revived  in  this  period. 

It  was  the  bronze-technique  which  in  point  of  modelling 
overstepped  nearly  all  limits,  the  consequence  of  which  was  a 
direct  imitation  of  nature,  especially  in  the  floral  ornament. 

How  the  flourishing  of  art  influenced  even  common  objects 
in  a  high  degree,  is  shown  by  the  two  fine  door-knockers  shown 
in  the  plate. 


Fig.  9.  Capital  of  a  column  from  the  portal 
of  the  Badia  at  Florence. 


Fig. 

I . 

Door  lintel  with  marble  frieze  in  the  palazzo  Ducale  at  Urbino.  XV  century. 

n 

2. 

Frieze  on  a  marble  chimney-piece  in  the  same  palace. 

n 

3- 

Console  capital  of  marble  from  the  church  of  Fonte  Giusta  at  Siena.  (Close  of  the  XV  centy.) 

n 

4- 

Frieze  on  a  tomb. 

n 

5- 

Door  frame  of  bronze  from  the  Ghiberti  Gate  of  the  Baptistery  at  Florence. 

11 

6. 

Panel  of  a  pilaster  strip  in  marble,  from  the  altar  in  the  church  of  Fonte  Giusta  at  Siena. 

)i 

7  and  8. 

Bronze  door-knockers. 

Plate  62. 


Italian  Renaissance. 

Ceiling  and  Wall  Painting. 


I 


t  is  about  the  year  1550  that  the  period  of  the  so-called  Late  Renaissance  begins. 
Its  peculiarities  in  the  domain  of  decorative  art  are  demonstrated  especially  in  Figs. 
I  and  9  — II.  We  find  no  more  the  same  charm  and  grace  which  characterised  the 
creations  of  the  Early  Renaissance,  but  some  cool,  rather  restrained  features  pervaded 
the  whole  treatment.  The  beautiful  harmonious  union  of  the  figure  with  the  vege- 
table element,  as  well  as  the  nicely  balanced  proportion  of  the  colours  to  each 
other  are  somewhat  decaying.  The  larger  admission  of  white  surfaces  makes  a  dry 
and  barren  impression  upon  the  spectator.  The  floral  ornament  is  less  elabo- 
rately finished,  its  place  being  often  taken  by  elements,  from  which  later -on  the 
so-called  cartouches  were  developed,  and  most  of  the  figures  do  not  show  to  ad- 
vantage by  their  artificial  composition.  Neither  in  the  disposition  of  the  ornament 
over  the  field  to  be  decorated,  is  the  perfection  of  the  previous  epoch  of  art  within 
this  domain  attained. 

Compare  also  plate  45. 


Fig.  I.    Tympanum  from  the  Sala  Ducale  in  the  Vatican  at  Rome. 

,,        2  —  5.    Details  from  the  Loggia  of  Raphael  in  the  Vatican. 
,,  6.    Severey  above  the  fountain-hall  of  the  Villa  di  Papa  Giulio 

at  Rome. 

,,    7  and  8.    Ceiling  borders  in  the  same  Villa. 

,,  g  and  10.  Pilaster  panels  from  a  chapel  in  S.  Maria  Aracoeli  at  Rome. 
,,  II.    Pilaster  from  the  cloister  of  the  monastery  of  S.  Maria  sopra 

Minerva  at  Rome. 
,,  12.    From  the  Loggia  of  Raphael. 


ITALIAN  RENAISSANCE 


62. 


ITALIAN  AND  FRENCH  RENAISSANCE 


WOR1        KP:ciors  mft\ts  \\\tu  pmxtixcs  iv  fvampi 


Plate  63. 


Italian  and  French  Renaissance. 

Work  in  Precious  Metals  with  Paintings  in  Enamel. 

e  works  in  metals  comprise  two  kinds:  on  the  one  side  those  objects,  which,  being  made  of  gold  and 
silver,  were  still  decorated  in  a  particular  manner  with  precious  stones,  pearls  and  enamel  as  for  instance 
jewelry;  on  the  other  those  by  which  any  rare  mineral,  such  as  lapis  lazuli,  onyx,  etc.,  or  a  beautifully  shaped 

   glass  were  made  by  the  application  of  a  handle,  foot, 

cover  etc.,  into  a  vessel  or  utensil  of  luxury.  For  both 
kinds,  Benvenuto  Cellini  was  the  leading  master  about 
the  middle  of  the  16"^  century. 

The  colours  chosen  are  harmoniously  combined. 
The  noble  vessels,  especially  their  handles  and  lids,  gave 
ample  opportunity  to  represent  a  profusion  of  elegant 
lines  and  beautiful  forms.  Plants,  animals,  human  figures, 
frequently  in  the  most  strange  compositions,  by  far  pre- 
ponderate over  the  purely  geometric  ornament. 

On  the  whole  French  Renaissance  metal-work  of 
this  kind,  at  least  during  the  16'^  century,  follows  the 
Italian  style,  for  it  was  by  Italian  artists,  that  the  new 
style  was  introduced  into  France.  The  change  procee- 
ded slowly,  of  course,  in  the  latter  country  owing  to 
Fig.  20.  Crystal  cup  (cover  fig.  3).  the  influence  of  Gothic  art. 


Fig.  1. 

Crowning  feature  of  an  altar  in  the  Galerie  d'Apollon  of  the 

Louvre  (Italian  work). 

„  2. 

From  a  vase  of  lapis  lazuli  in  the  Uffizi  Gallery  at  Florence 

(do.) 

3- 

Cover  of  a  crystal  cup  in  enamelled  gold,  in  the  Uffizi  Gallery 

(do.) 

„        4  and  5. 

Pendants  by  Benvenuto  Cellini 

(do.) 

6—8. 

Pendants  by  an  unknown  master 

(French  work.) 

„      9  and  10. 

Handles  on  vessels  in  the  Galerie  d'Apollon  of  the  Louvre 

(do.) 

,,     II  and  12. 

Masks  on  a  shield,  in  the  Louvre 

(do.) 

„    13  and  14. 

Foot  and  upper  portion  of  a  water-jug,  in  the  Louvre 

(do.) 

15—19- 

Borders  on  vessels  in  the  same  collection 

(do.) 

Plate  64. 


French  Renaissance. 

Typographic  Ornaments. 

i!^\-lready  towards  the  end  of  the  15^^  century,  French  printers,  especially  at  Paris  and  Lyon,  were  renowned 
for  the  carefulness  and  beauty  of  their  prints.  Yet  they  had  not  their  own  ways  in  forming  initials,  flou- 
rishes etc.,  until  Tory,  the  great  master  of  French  book-ornamentation,  released  his  countrymen  from  their 
slavish  dependence  on  Italian  models,  by  offering  them  original  decorations  of  his  own  invention.  They 
still  clung  for  a  long  time,  far  into  the  16''^  century,  to  the  Gothic  forms;  even  when  the  nobility  of  France 
had  been  made  acquainted  with  the  Italian  renaissance  by  travelling  or  by  foreign  artists,  still  the  firm 
attachment  to  the  old  style  impeded  the  development  of  a  truly  French  renaissance  ornament  so  much, 
that  Italian  and  German  examples  prevailed  almost  throughout  (Fig.  1).  Then,  about  1520,  that  change  was 
inaugurated  by  Tory.  His  ornaments,  consisting  mainly  of  flowers  and  foliage,  sometimes  united  with  figure 
representations,  are  simple  lines,  in  initials  for  the  most  part,  white  on  black  ground  (Fig.  2)  and  not  shaded. 
In  this  method  Tory  follows  the  Italian  custom  and  his  mode  of  representation  and  ornamental  forms  survived 
him  for  a  long  time. 

Nevertheless  Italy  continued  to  exercise  a  certain  amount  of  influence,  a  proof  of  which  we  have 
in  the  "puttini",  or  chubby  boys,  as  well  as  in  initials  directly  borrowed  from  Italian  masters  (Fig.  14). 

The  graceful  elegance  of  French  renaissance  ornament  is  especially  obvious  in  Figs.  9 — li, 
where  however  we  are  reminded  of  Arabian  Ornament,  as  in  Fig.  2  of  Gothic.  Fig.  6  and  12  show  the 
acanthus  elegantly  applied. 

Fig.  4  exhibits  the  manner  in  which  titles  of  books  or  whole  pages  were  decorated. 


Fig.  I 
„  2 
„  3 
4 

n  5 

„  6 


Initial  of  the  time  of  Louis  XII.  by  Tory. 
„     „      „     „   Francois  I.    „  „ 
„      „     „      „     „        „      ,,    „   Claude  Garamont. 
Cartouche    of    the  time  of  Henry  II.  by  Jean  Goujon. 

.*       11  M 


7  and  8.  Initials  ,, 

9  —  II.  Borders  ,, 

12.  Initial  ,, 
13- 

14-       »  )) 

15.    Tail-piece  ,, 


,,       ,,       ,,  from  Salomon  Bernard's  school. 

)'       >)       )>  ))         ))  ))  >> 

,,       ,,      ,,  by  Petit  Bernard. 

,,       ,,    III.  John  Tornesius. 
„       „  IV. 
,,  LouisXIII. 


TYPOGRAPHIC  ORNAMENTS. 


FRENCH  RENAISSANCE 


65 


Plate  65. 

French  Renaissance. 

Block  Printing  and  Embroidery. 


>y  the  term  "block  printing"  is  meant  the  printing  or 
stamping  of  a  certain  repeated  pattern  on  stuffs.  In  Fig.  i, 
2  and  4  the  design  is  raised  like  high-relief,  whilst  in  Fig.  3  the 
outlines  project  but  little  above  the  ground. 

The  rather  hard  treatment  of  the  acanthus  leaf  in  Figs,  i 
and  4,  the  arbitrary  arrangement  of  the  decoration  in  Fig.  i 
and  the  super-abundance  in  Fig.  i  —3  demonstrate  at  once 
the  later  origin  of  these  designs,  whilst  the  simple  and,  when 
compared  with  the  other  ornaments,  noble  treatment  of  the 
embroidery  betrays  much  more  the  connexion  with  the  antique. 


Fig.  I,  2  and  4.    Patterns  in  relief  printing,  XVII  century. 
,,     3.    Pattern  in  flat  printing,  XVIl  century. 
,,     5.    Border  on   an  embroidered  carpet  in  the  Musee  du 

Louvre,  XVI  century. 
,,     6.   Faience  pitcher  from  Giron   known   as   Henri -deux 
ware.    Victoria  and  Albert  Museum. 
In  all  these  figures  yellow  means  gold.     In  Fig.  3  the  original 
has  grey  violet  instead  of  red. 


Plate  66. 


French  Renaissance. 

Tapestry  Painting. 

e  tapestry  painting  of  dwelling  rooms,  so  much  favoured  in  the  Gothic  period,  was  carried  forward 
into  the  Renaissance.  But  even  here,  notwithstanding  a  frequent  going  back  to  antique  forms,  the  Gothic 
tradition  breaks  out  very  often,  or  Oriental  influences  impede  the  development  of  a  pure  renaissance. 


Fig.  10.    Painted  tapestry  at  the  Chateau  de  Blois  (Francois  I.  period.) 

In  carrying-out  the  painting  it  was  usual  for  the  two  lower  thirds  of  the  walls  to  be  covered  witli 
a  fuller  and  heavier  pattern,  and  the  upper  portion  with  a  simpler  and  lighter  one  (compare  Fig.  3  and  4V 
Scroll-work,  where  it  occurs,  is  nearly  always  much  idealised;  the  monograms  (initials)  of  tlie  sovereigns  as 
well  as  crowns,  and  the  lily,  (the  royal  insignia  of  France),  recur  most  frequently  in  this  ornament. 
In  the  colour  treatment  the  secondary  and  tertiary  colours  are  in  favour,  and  gold  is  frequently-  used. 


Fig.  1  —  9.    Painted  wall  tapestries  in  the  Chateau  de  Blois  (Francois  I.  period). 


FRENCH  RENAISSANCE 


CARPET  PAINTING 


PLASTIC  ORNAMENTS  IN  STONE  AND  WOOD. 


Plate  67 


French  Renaissance. 


Plastic  Ornaments  in  Stone  and  Wood. 


I 


n  sculpture  the  French  Renaissance  appears  freer  of  strange  ingredients  than  in  other  departments. 
Especially  in  the  earlier  examples  the  ornament  shows  a  fine  and  noble  treatment  of  low  and  high  reliefs, 

being  almost  without  exception  mixed  ornament ,  in  which  the  cartouches 
(framed  tablets)  play  a  conspicuous  part,  their  forms  being  adapted  to  the 
most  varied  shapes.  In  the  Early  Renaissance  the  cartouches  are  still  treated 
in  a  rather  simple  way,  but  later  on,  they  become  richer  and  rolled  up  bolder 
on  their  edges.  The  acanthus  leaf  is  in  as  great  favour  as  in  Italian  work  of 
the  same  period  and  treated  lighter  or  harder  according  to  the  time. 

The  shafts  of  the  pilasters  and  columns  are  richly  adorned ;  the  capitals 
often  exhibit  peculiar  compositions,  sometimes  overloaded,  it  is  true,  but  fre- 
quently by  no  means  without  a  certain  elegance. 


Fig.  I.    Pilaster-capital  from  a  chimney  in  the  Hotel  Lasbordes  at  Toulouse 
(Fran9ois  I  period). 

j2  ,,    2.    Carved  panel  on  the  wainscot  of  the  gallery  of  Francois  I.  in  the 

Palace  at  Fontainebleau. 

Fig.  3.    Carved  panel-ornament  from  a  door  in  the  Palace  of  Justice  at  Dijon  (Francois  I.  till  Henri  II.). 
,,    4.    Torus-decoration  in  the  chapel  of  the  Chateau  d'Anet  (Henri  II.). 
,,    5.    Decoration  of  a  window-frame  on  the  Louvre  at  Paris  (Henri  II.). 
,,    6.    Wood-rosette  from  the  gallery  of  Henri  II.  in  the  Palace  at  Fontainebleau. 
,,    7.    Rosette  from  a  chimney  in  the  Chateau  d'Anet  (Henri  II.). 
,,    8.    Herm  from  the  Hotel  d'Assezat  at  Toulouse  (Henri  II.). 

,,    9.    Panel  on  a  chimney  in  the  Museum  of  the  Hotel  de  Cluny  at  Paris  (Henri  II.). 
,,  10.    Carved-wood  panel  on  a  door  of  the  chapel  near  the  Chateau  d'Anet  (Henri  II). 
,,  II.    Capital  from  the  baptistery  of  Louis  XIII.  in  the  Palace  at  Fontainebleau. 
,,  12.    Wood  carving  in  the  Avignon  Museum. 


Plate  68. 


French  Renaissance. 

Painted  Ceilings. 

In  this  plate  the  soffits  of  binders  and  joists  only  are  taken  into  consideration,  the  character  of  which  is 
entirely  preserved  by  the  applied  painting.  Each  single  beam  has  a  special  painting,  several  of  them  to- 
gether forming  a  pattern  regularly  repeated  (Fig.  i,  3,  5).  The  lateral  faces  of  the  beams  have  generally 
only  one  tone;  the  connecting  beams  however,  are  distinguished  by  a  rich  decoration  on  the  sides  and  on 
the  under  face,  or  soffits,  (Fig.  2,  4  and  6  —  8). 

The  floral  ornament  shows   sometimes  a  decided  harking  back  to  the  antique;  the  figure  element 
is  also  frequently  employed. 


Fig.  9.    Ceiling,  after  an  original  design  for  the  room  of  Marie  de  Medicis 
at  the  Luxemburg  Palace,  Paris. 


Fig.  I  and  3.  Painted  soffits  of  joists  in  the  Chateau  de  Blois  (Francois  1  period). 

I  and  4.  Painted  soffits  of  binders  of  the  same  ceilings. 

„  5.  Painted  soffits  of  joists  in  a  French  chateau  of  the  Louis  XIII  period. 

„  6,  7  and  8.  Painted  soffits  of  joists  and  binders  of  the  same  ceiling. 


FRENCH  RENAISSANCE 

69 


^ROyOERY  ANO  ROOK-COVERvS 


Plate  69. 

French  Renaissance. 


Weaving,  Embroidery  and  Book-Covers. 


G. 


reat  care  used  to  be  bestowed  on  the  binding  of  books,  according  to  their  importance;  their  covers 
were  decorated  in  two  ways:  either  a  continuous  pattern  spread  over  the  surface  of  the  cover,  whilst  only 
the  corners  were  specially  distin- 
guished, a  small  shield  in  the 
middle  being  sometimes  added; 
or  the  ornament  constitutes  a 
many-membered  whole  with  ten- 
dril-work andgeometric  elements 
alternately.  The  small  shield 
in  the  middle  generally  contains 
the  library-mark,  the  book-title 
as  well  as  the  name  of  the  owner. 
Fig.  4  and  5  represent  the  former 
way.  Fig.  6  and  7  the  latter, 
which  however  is  rather  too 
profuse.  During  the  best  period, 
the  ornament  in  work  of  this 
kind  is,  almost  throughout,  trea- 
ted as  flat-ornament. 


Fig.  I 


Silk-weaving  (close  of 
the  XVII  century). 

2.  Silk-weaving  middle  of 

the  XVI  century). 

3.  Woven  carpet  in  theMu- 

see  du  Louvre  (XVI 
century).  The  border 
belonging  to  it  is 
shown  in  Plate,  65 
Fig.  5- 

4  and  5.  Corner-pieces  of 
a  book-cover  made 
of  red  morocco  (Hen- 
ry  III.). 


Fig.  6.    A  book-cover  (Early  XVII  century. 
„     7.    A  book-cover  (close  of  the  XVI  century). 
„     8.    A  book-cover  with  coat  of  arms  (Henry  II  period). 


Plate  70. 


French  Renaissance. 

Wall  Painting,  Polychrome  Sculpture,  Weaving  and  Book -Covers. 

C3n  this  plate  the  difference  between  Early  and  Later  French  Renaissance  is  most  striking.  Whereas 
Fig.  I  and  2  show  an  elegant  but  moderate  movement,  Figs.  3  and  4  even  a  certain  rigidness  of  the  rather 
hard  forms,  in  Fig.  8  on  the  contrary  all  is  activity  and  lively  motion,  the  garlands  themselves  seeming 

to  wave  in  the  wind.  Besides,  the  arrange- 
ment and  combination  of  the  single  groups, 
as  well  as  the  excessive  profusion  of  figured 
motives,  point  to  a  time  when  the  principle 
of  wise  moderation  no  longer  prevailed 
in  artistic  productions.  This  want  of  restraint 
appears  also  in  the  two  bookcovers  (Fig.  6 
and  7),  which  exemplify  a  type  of  decoration 
distinct  from  that  represented  on  plate  69, 
Fig-  4-  7- 

In  Figs.  2  —  5,  10  and  11  we  recognize, 
that,  in  painting  plastic  ornaments  few  colours 
were  used,  and  that  gold  always  predomi- 
nated. In  stucco  decorations  the  latter  was  often  the  only  colour  used,  set  off  at  the  utmost  by  a  coloured 
ground.    (Compare  Figs.  10  and  11.) 


Fig.  I.   Painted  frieze  on  both  sides  of  a  chimney  in  the  Hotel  d'Alluye  at  Blois.  Style  of  Louis  XII. 

(First  half  of  the  XVI  century.) 
,,     2.   Carved-Wood  panel  from  the  Chateau  de  Gaillon.  Style  Louis  XII.  (First  half  of  the  XVI  centy.) 
,,     3  and  4.   Carved  and  painted  girder-panels  on  a  ceiling  in  the  Palace  of  Justice  at  Dijon.  Style 

of  Francois  I.   (First  half  of  the  XVI  centy.) 
,,     5.   Carved  and  painted  ceiling-panel  from  the  Diana-chamber  in  the  Chateau  d'Anet.  St3-le  of 

Henri  II.   (Middle  of  the  XVI  centy.) 
,,     6  and  7.   Book-covers.   (Second  half  of  the  XVI  centy.) 

,,     8.   Painted  wall-panel  in  the  library  of  the  Arsenal  at  Paris.    Style  of  Henri  IV.  —  Louis  XIII. 

(First  half  of  the  XVII  centy.) 
,,    9.   Painted  wall-frieze  from  the  Palace  at  Fontainebleau.    Style  of  Louis  XIII.    (First  half  of  the 

XVII  centy.) 

,,  10  and  II.   Painted  stucco-friezes  from  the  Galerie  d'ApoUon  in  the  Louvre  at  Paris  (by  Berain). 

Style  of  Louis  XIV.    (Second  half  of  the  XVII  centy.) 
,,  12.    Border  from  a  Gobelin  tapestry,  by  le  Brun.  Style  of  Louis  XIV.  (Second  half  of  the  XVII  centy.) 
,,  13.   Wall  decoration  from  the  dining  room  of  a  house  at  Blois  (Henri  II). 


FRENCH  RENAISSANCE 


70 


WALL-PAINTING,  POLYCHROME  SCULPTURE,  WEAVING  AND  BOOK- COVERS 


FRENCH  RENAISSANCE 


71 


GOBELINS 


Plate  71. 

French  Renaissance. 

Gobelin  Tapestry. 

We  have  pointed  out  before,  that  windows,  painted  in  imitation  of  carpets,  owed  their  origin  to  the 
custom  of  covering  the  openings  for  the  day-light  with  carpets.  In  course  of  time  the  wall-surfaces, 
treated  in  the  same  manner,  in  order  to  give  them  a  more  comfortable  appearance,  were  likewise  adorned 
with  colours,  i.  e.  with  pictures  or  simple  designs.  Meanwhile  however,  the  use  of  carpets  for  such  pur- 
poses was  not  entirely  dispensed  with,  and  especially,  in  the  16^^  century  such  wall-decorating  carpets 
again  found  favour  in  the  houses  of  the  wealthy,  all  the  more  since  the  hangings  of  wool ,  woven  in  the 
Netherlands,  and  embellished  with  various  figure  representations,  were  sold  all  over  the  world  and  quite 
superseded  the  silk  or  linen  tapestry.  Also  in  France,  under  Louis  XIV.  such  a  manufactory  of  tapestry 
was  established  by  Gobelin  brothers,  from  whom  the  tapestries  woven  there,  and  afterwards  all  similar  fabrics 
were  named  'Gobelins'. 

Although  the  manufacture  of  these  tapestries  is  a  very  difficult  and  troublesome  one,  yet  a  glance 
at  our  plate,  shows  that  in  point  of  fact  this  mode  of  painting  both,  in  respect  of  colour  and  of  forms,  met 
with  considerable  success. 


Fig.  8.    Tapestry  at  the  Chateau  de  Fontainebleau  (XVI  century). 


Fig-  I  —  3-  Borders  on  a  tapestry  carpet  after  Le  Brun  (made  1665  —  72). 

,,    4 — 6.  Border  from  a  tapestry  after  Noel  Coypel  (made  1670 — 80). 
,,         7.      ,,         ,,     ,,       ,,       of  the  XVI  century. 

„         8.  Tapestry  at  the  Chateau  de  Fontainebleau  (XVI.  century). 


Plate  72. 

French  Renaissance. 

Enamel  on  Metal,  Pottery  Painting  and  Metal  Mosaic. 

Xt  was  at  Limoges  that  enamel-painting  attained  a  high  degree  of  perfection.  Figs,  i  — 10  illustrate  not 
only  smaller  and  simpler  gold-decorations,  but  also  complicated  scroll-work,  even  figure  representations, 
painted  in  this  way,  the  choice  of  colours  being  almost  unlimited. 

The  difference  in  the  productions  of  our  period  and  those  of  the  Middle  Ages  consists  chiefly 

in  the  fact  that  the  metal,  forming  the  under- 
ground, was  not  visible.  Most  frequently  we  find 
enamel  painted  in  grisaille,  gold  being  always  put 
on,  whilst  coloured  representations,  when  required, 
were  executed  with  semi-transparent  vitrifiable 
pigments. 

Figs.  II  and  12  represent  two  faience  gable- 
heads  very  much  favoured,  especially  in  palaces, 
as  a  finish  to  gables,  towers  etc. 

Among  the  faience-painters  of  the  16'^  centur}' 
Bernard  Palissy,  of  whose  works  some  specimens 
are  shown  in  Figs.  13  — 18,  was  of  great  impor- 
tance for  French  ornamentation.  The  decorations 
of  this  artist's  work  are  not  flat,  but  consist  of  bril- 
liantly coloured  reliefs  of  a  warm  and  vigorous  tone. 
He  brought  into  fashion  especially  those  plates, 
on  which  various  animals  of  the  water,  earth  and 
air  are  painted  with  remarkable  fidelity  to  nature. 
But  complete  pictures  also  owe  their  origin  to  him. 
Finally  his  ornaments,  executed  in  but  few  colours, 
are  to  be  reckoned  among  the  most  graceful  of  the 
French  Renaissance. 

A  century  and  a  half  after  Palissy,  another 
artist  attained  a  certain  celebrity  at  the  French 
Fig.  22.  Faience  pitcher  from  Rouen.  court,  viz.  Andr6  Charles  Boule,  cabinet-maker  to 

King  Louis  XIV.  He  had  a  special  skill  in  deco- 
rating objects  of  any  kind  with  inlaid-work  and  it  is  after  him  that  marquetry  composed  of  different  metals 
mother-of-pearl,  ivory,  tortoise-shell,  fine  woods  etc.  is  commonly  called  Boule-work.    (Fig.  21.) 


Fig.       I— 10.     Decorations  on  Limoges  vessels  (copper-enamelling).     Fig.  i   in  private  possession. 

Fig.  2  from  the  Galerie  d'Apollon  in  the  Louvre  at  Paris.    Fig.  3  and  4  in  the  Bavarian 
National  Museum  at  Munich. 
,,     II  and  12.    Faience  gable  heads. 

„        13  — 18.    Decorations  on  faience  vessels  by  Bernard  Palissy.    From  the  Mus^e  du  Louvre  at 

Paris,  and  in  private  collections. 
„     19  and  20.    Borders  on  faience  plates  from  Kouen. 
„  21.    Small  Boule  chest  in  the  ^lusee  du  Louvre  at  Paris. 


ENAMEL  ON  METAL,  POTTERY  PAINTING  AND  METAL- MOSAIC 


FRENCH  AND  GERMAN  RENAISSANCE 


ORNAMENTS  ON  WOOD  AND  METALS  ETC. 


Plate  73 


French  and  German  Renaissance. 

Ornaments  on  Wood  and  Metals. 

The  productions  of  the  artisans  of  this  period  have  a  singular  charm.  We  see  arms,  small  chests,  articles 
of  every  day  use  etc.,  most  variously  ornamented,  either  by  inlaying  of  ivory  etc.,  when  they  are  made  of 
wood,  or  mostly  by  engraving  and  chasing  when  made  of  metal. 

The  peculiarity  of  the  faience,  known  as  Henri-deux  ware,  is,  that  the  ornaments  and  figures  are 
traced  on  the  surface,  as  in  niello,  the  ground  probably  having  been  deepened  according  to  circumstances 
either  by  a  mould  or  by  an  instrument,  whereupon  the  deepenings  were  filled  up  with  a  cement  generally 
of  a  yellow  or  brown  colour. 


Fig.  I.    Boule  work  from  a  clock  in  the  ,, Museum  vaterlandischer  Altertumer"  at  Stuttgart  (French). 
,,    2  and  3.    Inlaid  wood-work  of  ebony  and  ivory  from  a  table  in  the  same  Museum  (German). 
„    4.    Inlaid  wood-work  from  a  tent-bed  in  the  golden  hall  at  Urach  (German). 
,,     5  and  6.    Inlaid  wood-work  on  a  wall-deepening  in  the  Palace  of  Justice  at  Dijon  (French). 
,,    7.    Inlaid  wood-work  from  a  chest  at  Ravensburg  (German). 

,,    8.    Silver  inlaid  work  on  a  golden  bumper  in  the  Royal  treasury  at  Munich  (German). 
,,    9.    Inlaid  ivory  work  on  a  pistol  in  the  Royal  Hi.storical  Museum  at  Dresden  (German). 
„  10.    Low  relief  from  a  tent-bed  in  the  golden  hall  at  Urach  (German). 

,,  II.    Ditto  from  a  wooden  frame  with  gilt  ground  in  the  Musee  de  Cluny  at  Paris  (French). 
„  12.    Pattern  for  etched  or  engraved  work  by  Peter  Flotner  (German). 

,,  13.    Chased  work  on  a  padlock  from  the  Collegiate  Church  of  Heiligenkreuz  in  the  „K.  K.  Museum" 
at  Vienna  (German). 

,,  14.    Chased  work  on  a  saw  in  the  Royal  Historical  Museum  at  Dresden  (German). 

,,  15  and  16.    Small  borders  on  the  cover  of  a  gilt  silver  chest,  by  Wenzel  Jamnitzer,  in  the  little 

treasury  at  Munich  (German). 
,,  17.    Pattern  for  etched  or  engraved  work  (unknown  German  master). 
,,  18  and  19.    Small  borders  on  Oiron  vessels  in  the  Musee  du  Louvre  at  Paris  (French). 
,,  20  and  21.    Surface  patterns  on  Oiron  vessels  in  the  Musee  du  Louvre  (French). 
22.    Etched  pattern  on  the  lid  of  a  small  iron  box. 


Plate  74. 


German  Renaissance. 

Ceiling  and  Wall  Painting,  Wood  Mosaic  and  Embroidery. 


A, 


.Ithough  German  Renaissance,  following  its  own  course  deviated  still  more 
from  the  antique  than  Italian  and  French  did,  yet  there  are  always  traces, 
(and  often  very  clear  ones),  visible  which  lead  back  to  the  mother-land  of  the 
Renaissance.  Figs.  2  —  5,  for  instance,  show  unquestionably  Italian  influence, 
which  however  may  easily  be  explained  by  the  fact,  that  the  authors  of  these 
paintings  travelled  to  Italy  to  study  there.  So  amongst  others,  A.  Diirer  took 
a  longer  sojourn  in  Italy  to  become  acquainted  with  the  new  style  in  its 
birth-place. 

In  these  paintings  generally  light  and  gay  tones  are  chosen  upon  an 
entirely  or  nearly  uncoloured  ground,  their  character  bearing  much  resemblance 
to  old  Roman  decorations.  The  same  is  to  be  said  of  Fig.  i  Probably  the 
author  of  these  and  other  similar  decorations  in  the  Fugger-house  at  Augsburg 
was  an  Italian  painter  who  was  brougth  from  Italy  by  Hans  Fugger  'the 
rich'  to  decorate  his  grandly  built  house. 

Fig.  6  gives  a  specimen  of  that  inlaid  work  so  frequently  found,  which  | 
commands  the  just  admiration  of  our  time  by  its  charming  designs  as  well  as 
the  amazing  patience  and  labour  bestowed  upon  it.   In  these  objects  too,  the 
artists  set  a  high  value  on  effective  colouring,  the  shades  being  burnt  in. 

In  the  middle  portion  of  this  plate  we  observe  a  form  of  ornamen- 
tation peculiar  to  German  Renaissance  and  deriving  its  origin  no  doubt,  from 
the  art  of  smithing  which  then  was  most  flourishing;  for  we  see  flat  metal- 
work  with  its  rivets  and  nails  directly  imitated,  and  the  bands,  into  which 
the  imitated  sheet-metal  runs  out,  frequently  elaborated  into  idealised  foliage, 
or  curved  and  rolled  up. 

Concerning  linen  embroidery,  which  was  greatly  esteemed  in  the  German 
family,  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  great  artists,  such  as  Holbein  father  and 
son,  did  not  disdain  to  support  this  branch  of  art  industry  by  designs  from 
their  own  hands. 


Fig.  I.    Wall-painting  from  the  bath-room  in  the  'Fugger'-house  at  Augsburg. 

„     2,  3  and  5.    Ditto  in  the  knights'  hall  of  the  Trausnitz  at  Landshut. 
„     4.    Ceiling  painting  in  the  same  hall. 
„    6.    Wood  inlay  on  the  cover  of  a  small  chest. 
„    7.    Embroidered  border  orua  linen  cover. 
„    8.    Decorative  panel. 


CEILING 


AND  WALL  PAINTING,  WOOD  MOSAIC  AND  EMBROIDERY 


STAINED  GLASS  PAINTING 


Plate  75 


German  Renaissance. 

Stained  Glass  Painting. 

CjTlass-painting  is  to  a  certain  degree  an  exception  to  the  general  advancement  of  art  industry  during 
the  time  of  the  Renaissance.  Although  in  town-halls  and  guild-rooms,  in  the  castles  of  the  nobility  and  the 
houses  of  citizens,  windows  painted  with  coats  of  arms,  symbolical  or  historical  representations  etc.,  were 
often  found,  and  as  a  rule  beautifully  executed,  yet  this  art  vanishes  more  and  more  from  the  sphere  most 


Fig.  4.  Medallion,  with  coat  of  arms  of  V.  Eriach,  from  a  window  in  the  Choir  at  Hindelbank  ( 1521). 

favourable  to  its  development,  viz.  the  erection  of  churches;  later  on,  however,  the  glass-painters,  sedulously 
striving  to  get  the  start  of  painting  proper,  were  misled  into  great  figure  compositions,  which  are,  strictly 
speaking,  quite  opposed  to  the  true  principles  of  this  art. 

However  it  still  confines  itself  to  its  limits  in  the  glass-paintings  of  the  Chapel  in  the  Royal  resi- 
dence at  Munich.  Serving  principally  for  decorative  purposes,  they  are  of  great  beauty  in  spite  of  a  cer- 
tain tendency  towards  naturalism. 


Figs.  I — 3.    Glass  paintings  from  the  dome  of  the  Chapel  in  the  Royal  residence  at  Munich. 


Plate  76. 


German  Renaissance. 

Metal  Work. 

T 

-I  his  plate  is  devoted  to  one  special  branch  of  metal  work,  embracing  such  numerous  objects  as  were 
produced  by  the  armourer.  Many  weapons  and  much  armour,  the  surfaces  of  which  are,  with  marvellous 
ingenuity  and  endless  variety,  decorated  with  scroll-work,  frame-work  and  strap-work,  were  for  a  long  time 
believed  to  be  works  of  the  great  Italian  masters,  who  were  thought  to  have  made  them  chiefly  at  the 
French  court.  Some  years  ago,  however,  the  surprising  discovery  was  made,  that  the  most  and  very  finest 
of  these  objects  were  of  German  origin,  German  masters,  above  all,  having  been  called  by  Francis  1.  and 
Henry  II.  for  that  purpose  to  France. 

Parts  of  the  harness  shields,  helmets  etc.  are  splendidly  decorated  with  complete  figured  represen- 
tations, others  with  animals,  birds,  and  mythical  beings  as  well  as  with  flowers  and  scroll-work  ;  later  on,  however, 
the  scrolls  and  involuted  bands,  likewise  cartouches  predominated,  as  they  did  in  Italian  and  French  Renais- 
sance, taking  the  place  of  that  finer  floral  ornament  for  the  former  time. 

The  metal-plates  were  either  etched,  chased  or  damascened,  more  frequently  however  the  designs 
were  raised  by  embossing. 


Figs.  I  —  6.    Representations  of  armour  from  the  "Kabinet  der  Handzeichnungen  alter  Meister" 

at  Munich. 

,,  7.   Ornament  for  a  chalice  by  Hieroniraus  Banng  of  Nuremberg. 


GERMAN  RENAISSANCE. 


76 


METAL-WORK. 


7 


Plate  77 


German  Renaissance. 

Polychrome  Plastic  Work. 

It  was  the  delight  taken  in  bright,  life-like  representations,  which  induced  the  artists  of  the  Renaissance 
period  to  enliven  their  sculpture  by  means  of  colour.    The  large  and  magnificent  ceiling,  for  instance,  in 

the  knights'-hall  of  the  Castle  at  Heiligenberg  is  almost  en- 
tirely covered  with  colours,  which  being  in  perfect  har- 
mony with  each  other,  serve  to  heighten  the  effect  of  the 
sculpture.  In  like  manner  by  the  aid  of  colour,  a  pecu- 
liar charm  is  bestowed  upon  the  two  supporters  of  stags' 
horns  and  on  the  central  figure,  which  wood  or  stone 
work  alone  could  not  have  given  them. 

In  wood  and  stone  carving  too  of  the  later  German 
Renaissance  a  predominance  of  cartouches  and  band- 
work  is  perceptible,  the  latter  causing  various  and  interes- 
ting twistings  and  interlacings. 

The  female  figure  in  Fig.  ii  represents  Ursula,  by 
birth  Countess  Palatine  by  Rhine,  consort  of  Duke  Lewis, 
the  builder  of  the  "Lusthaus".  In  the  "Lusthaus"  however, 
which  unfortunately  no  longer  exists,  another  figure  stood 
on  the  console,  illustrating  the  coat  of  arms  referring  to  it. 

At  one  time  about  50  such  figures  on  consoles  decorated 
the  arcades  surrounding  this  gorgeous  building. 


Fig.  14.  Upper  part  of  fire  place  in  the 
Town-hall  of  Liebenstein. 


Figs.     I  — 10.    Portions  of  the  painted  ceiling  in  the  knights'-hall  of  the  Castle  at  Heiligenberg. 
„       II.         Console-figure  from  the  arcades  of  the  former  "Lusthaus"  at  Stuttgart. 
„       12  and  13.    Cartouches  carved  from  peartree-wood  in  the  "Museum  vaterlandischer  Altertiimer" 
at  Stuttgart,  being  part  of  the  former  furniture  of  a  hunting  chamber  belonging  to 
the  family  of  Besserer  at  Ulm. 


Fig.  37.   Back  of  a  binding  from  the  library  at  Breslau. 


Plate  78. 


German  Renaissance. 

Ornaments  for  Book  Covers. 


F< 


or  book-covers,  the  ornaments  of  which  were,  during  the  best  period,  always  treated  as  flat  ornaments, 
leather  used  to  be  employed  almost  exclusively.  At  first  the  outlines  of  the  design  were  sharply  cut  into 
the  leather  and  the  space,  not  covered  by  it,  was  deepened.  Later  on,  however,  small  metal  stamps  were 
used,  the  patterns  of  which,  when  repeated  side  by  side,  produced  the  border  framing  the  cover.  In  this 
case  the  corners  were  not  specially  elaborated,  the  borders  meeting  at  these  points  by  no  rule.  Some- 
times the  book-cover  is  edged  by  such  borders  in  several  rows,  the  exceeding  height  of  the  empty  central 
field  being  met  by  inserting  special  cross -borders  along  the  narrow  sides.  The  latter  end  was  some- 
times attained  by  beating  or  impressing  the  stamp-patterns  in  double  rows,  S3fmmetrical  to  each  other  (Figs.  5 
and  35).  The  central  fields,  being  for  the  most  part  small,  are  then  decorated  either  with  stulT-patterns  or 
with  corner-  and  middle-pieces  (Figs.  9 — 11,  13,  14,  23 — -26,  28  —  32  show  patterns  of  the  latter  kind). 

Besides  these,  however,  many  book-covers  are  found  with  free,  often  coloured,  arabesques  and  inter- 
twisted bands  (compare  Plate  70,  Figs.  6  and  7),  these  being  in  the  flourishing  time  of  art,  framed  with 
borders,  whilst  later  on,  instead  of  these  borders,  corner-pieces  very  similar  to  metal-work,  were  added. 

The  most  sumptuous,  of  course,  were  covers  decorated  with  real  metal-work,  especially  when  pre- 
cious metals  were  employed.  In  this  case  the  ornament  is  usually  cast  in  relief  or  embossed.  Fig.  i  how- 
ever shows  an  ornament  of  silver  simpl)'  sawn  out  and  afterwards  engraved. 

Finally,  may  be  mentioned,  that  in  decorating  the  back  of  the  book,  cording  in  a  pretty  manner 
was  made  use  of,  this  being  marked  either  by  leather  pads  or  by  deepened  horizontal  lines,  thus  producing 
several  compartments  which  were  filled  up  with  simple  decorations. 


Fig.  I.    Silver-edged  book-cover  (full  size)  from  the  "Sammlung  vaterlandischer  Altertiimer" 

at  Stuttgart. 

„     2 — 36.    Decorations  on  hog's  leather  covers  (executed  in  blind-printing)  from  the  Royal  "Hand- 
bibliothek"  at  Stuttgart. 


GERMAN  RENAISSANCE 


78 


ORNAMENTS  FOR  BOOK  COVERS 


GERMAN  RENAISSANCE 


79. 


EMBROIUEKY  AiND  WEAVING 


Plate  79. 


German  Renaissance. 

Embroidery  and  Weaving. 

In  embroidery  the  character  of  the  ornament  depends  principally,  on  the  technical  process;  examining 
our  plate,  however,  the  immense  difference  between  Figs.  3  and  4  on  the  one  side  and  Figs,  i  and  5  on 
the  other,  results  from  the  circumstance,  that  the  former  figures  betray  a  strong  Gothic  influence,  whilst 
in  the  latter  the  artist  followed  rather  Oriental  examples.  Especially  the  elegant  interlacing  in  Fig.  5,  as 
well  as  the  beautiful  manner  in  which  the  surfaces  in  Figs,  i  and  5  are  filled  up,  recalls  Eastern  ornament; 
the  weaving  in  Fig.  7  showing  a  marked  affinity  with  the  Persian  style. 


Fig.  7.  Pattern  of  a  woven  material  in  the  church  at  Weingarten. 


Notwithstanding  all  that  however,  the  Renaissance  preserves  in  these  patterns  its  peculiar  nature  and 
its  original  features,  (Figs,  i,  5,  6). 

The  embroidery  in  Fig.  5  was  executed  in  the  early  years  of  the  17^^  century,  at  which  time  the 
silk-embroiderers  of  Munich  were  widely  renowned. 


Fig.  I.  Table-cover  embroidered  in  cross-stitch,  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Schauffele  at  Schwabisch-Hall. 

„  2.  Linen  embroidery  from  the  Bavarian  National  Museum  at  Munich. 

„  3.  Embroidered  border  from  a  carpet  in  the  same  Museum. 

„  4.  Carpet  embroidered  on  cloth  in  the  same  Museum  (1560 — 1590.) 

„  5.  Curtain-border  embroidered  on  velvet  in  applique- work  from  the  chapel  in  the  Ro3'al 
Residence  at  Munich. 

„  6.  Border  of  a  gold-embroidered  leather-pouch  in  the  Bavarian  National  Museum  at  Munich. 


Plate  80. 


German  Renaissance. 

Typographic  Ornaments. 

T 

JLhe  custom  of  decorating  printing  with  artistic  initials,  marginal  borders  etc.  is  nearly  as  old  as  typo- 
graphy itself.  In  the  beginning,  Gothic  forms,  of  course,  still  prevailed ;  but  the  transition  from  the  1 5  ''^ 
to  the  16^*^  century  marked  a  new  era  for  this  branch  of  art.  Of  marked  and  decisive  importance  was  the 
activity  of  the  greatest  German  artists  of  that  period,  viz  of  Holbein,  Diirer,  and  others;  they  were  conti- 
nually creating  new  ornamental  alphabets  and  drawing  titles,  tail-pieces  etc.  thus  raising  typography  to  a 


Fii^.  14.  Head-piece  by  Theodor  dc  Bry. 


very  high  standard.  Numerous  towns  were  renowned  for  their  printing  presses,  and  in  the  third  decen- 
nium  of  the  16^^  century,  when  the  great  masters  were  deceased,  their  successors  carried  on  their  traditions 
by  making  use  of  the  ornaments  accumulated  by  them.  However  it  could  not  fail,  that  in  the  course  of 
time  this  branch  also  participated  in  the  general  decline  ot  revived  classical  art,  and  Fig.  15  shows,  how 
wood-cut  ornamentation  had  degenerated. 

A  glance  at  Plate  64  shows,  that  German  book  ornamentation  can  well  stand  comparison  with  the 
French,  although  the  former  often  appears  somewhat  less  refined  than  the  latter. 


Fig.  I.  Title-frame  probably  by  Hieronymus  Hopfer  (15 19). 

.,  2.  Initial  by  A.  Durer. 

„  3.  Frieze  by  A.  Aldegrever  (1539). 

'„  4.  Initial  from  a  'dance-of-death'  alphabet,  by  Hans  Holbein. 

„  5.  Marginal  decoration  from  the  prayer-hook  of  the  Emperor  Charles  V.,  b}-  A.  Diirer. 

,.  6.  Frieze  by  H.  S.  Beham  (1528). 

„  7.  Initial  by  an  unknown  master  (1518). 

,,  8.  Ditto  by  Paul  Frank. 

,.  9.  Ditto  by  Jost  Aman. 

„  10.  Ditto  from  Hans  Holbein's  children's  alphabet  (1527 — 1532). 

„  II.  Ditto  by  an  unknown  master. 

„  12.  Frieze  by  J.  Binck. 

„  13.  Initial  by  P.  Frank. 


Fig.  15.   Tail-piece  hy  J.  H.  von  Bemmel. 


GERMAN  RENAISSANCE.  so 


la.- 


TYPOGRAPHIC  ORNAMENTS. 


GERMAN  RENAISSANCE 


POLYCHROME  PLASTIC  WORK 


Plate  8 1 


German  Renaissance. 

Polychrome  Plastic  Work. 

C^ur  representations  illustrate  further  details  of  the  ceiling  in  the  knight's  hall  of  the  castle  of  Heiligen- 
berg  mentioned  with  Plate  77.  This  ceiling  is  carved  entirely  of  lime-wood  and  profusely  coloured,  specially 
with  blue,  red,  green,  gold  and  silver.  But  in  spite  of  this  richness  of  colours  and  the  surprising  variety 
of  foliage,  tendrils,  ribbon-work,  figures  etc.  it  does  not  in  the  least  appear  overladen  or  restless,  but  the 
general  impression  to  the  eye  is,  as  before  mentioned,  agreeable  and  harmonious  throughout. 


Fig.  6.  7.  Pedestal  ornaments  from  the  Cathedral  at  Mayence. 


11. 

Figs.  II  — 13.    From  a  tomb  in  the  church  at  Boennij^heim. 


Plate  82. 


German  Renaissance. 

Plastic  Ornament  in  Stone  and  Wood. 


I 


n  defining  the  general  difference  between  Italian  and  German  Renaissance  ornament,  we  may  say  that 
the  former,  thoiigli  equally  profuse  in  the  variety  of  forms,  is  still  superior  to  the  latter  in  refinement  and 
elegance,  especially  of  the  figure  element,  and  not  less  in  a  fairer  distribution  of  the  decorations  over  the 
surfaces;  but  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  many  achievements  of  German  art  are  equal  to  those  of  Ital>-, 
notabh'  the  ornamental  decorations  of  the  magnificent  Renaissance  buildings  of  which  a  large  number  are  to 
be  found  in  the  cities  and  towns  of  Germany. 


Fig.  I.    Herm  from  the  tombs  of  the  princes  of  Wurttemberg  in  the  choir  of  the  "Stiftskirche" 
at  Stuttgart. 

,,     2.    Panel  on  a  pilaster  in  the  great  hall  of  the  Rathaus  at  Nuremberg. 

,,    3.    Side  of  jamb  of  a  door  in  the,  "Otto-Heinrichs-Bau"  of  Heidelberg  Castle. 

,,     4.    Dado  of  tomb  in  the  choir  of  the  principal  church  at  Gaildorf. 

,,     5  — 10.    Carved  wood  panels  and  friezes  from  a  ceiling  in  the  castle  at  Jever. 


PLASTIC  ORNAMENTS  IN  STONE. 


GERMAN  RENAISSANCE 

83. 


WALL-PAINTING,  PLASTIC   ORNAMENTS  IN   STONE  AND  WOOD 


Plate  83. 


German  Renaissance. 

Wall  Painting,  Plastic  Ornaments  in  Stone  and  Wood. 

Whereas  the  Italian  influence  is  distinctly  shown  in  the  German  wall-painting  on  PI.  74,  the  examples 
on  this  plate  present  a  strong  contrast  to  them,  and  we  find  in  this  cartouche-like  frame-work,  with 
its  bold,  fanciful  volutes  and  elegant  festoons,  the  severity  peculiar  to  German  decoration  of  the  commen- 
cement of  the  XVII*'^  centur}'.  In  German  ecclesiastical  Art  the  Gothic  style  was  adhered  to  until  far 
into  the  XVP^  century,  and  only  in  the  latter  half  of  this  century  was  it  displaced  by  the  Renaissance 
in  Church  architecture.  However,  the  vaulted  ceilings  with  their  gorgeous  keystones,  the  pointed  and 
sometimes  traceried  windows  still  recall  the  Art  of  the  Middle  Ages.  The  decorative  artist  by  remarkable 
elaboration  of  detail  then  endeavoured  to  produce  an  impression  of  vivid  colours  and  rich  gold,  recalling 
mediaeval  colour  decoration ,  but  at  the  same  time  by  the  invention  of  new  forms  to  create  novel  and 
charming  effects.  These  are  apparent  on  looking  at  the  interior  of  the  celebrated  Church  at  Freudenstadt, 
built  by  the  Ducal  Architect  Heinrich  Schickhardt,  of  Herrenberg,  and  the  examples  on  our  plate  are  suffi- 
cient witness  of  its  rich  and  magnificent  decoration.  In  the  detail  of  this  splendid  composition  by  the  painter 
Jakob  Zuberlein  we  observe  a  capricious  and  rather  wild  imagination,  as  is  met  with,  to  a  still  greater 
extent  in  Wendel  Dietterlin's  designs  (Fig.  9),  but  when  we  see  how  agreeable  and  harmonious  is  the 
impression  produced  by  the  rich  colouring  of  the  decoration  and  details,  we  cannot  but  pay  some  respect 
to  this  period  of  Art,  the  more  so  as  at  that  time  the  aim  in  the  decoration  of  protestant  churches  was 
to  break  with  the  old  traditions,  and  to  create  new  forms  on  entirely  rational  principles  —  an  experiment 
which  was  attended  with  marked  success  in  the  Church  at  Freudenstadt. 

Fig.  I  —  8.   Portions  of  painted  frescoes  in  tlie  Church  at  Freudenstadt. 


Fig.  9.   Duor-Panel  by  Wendel  Dietteilin,  painter  at  Strassburg,  1598.   From  his  work  ,,Architectura", 


Plate  84. 

German  Renaissance. 

Ceiling  and  Wall  Painting. 

C3ur  plate  presents  a  splendid,  though  very  peculiar  mode  of  wall  painting.  The  so-called  Golden  Hall 
in  the  Castle  at  Urach  is  entirely  decorated  in  this  manner.    The  walls  are  generally  flat,  but  divided  in 

compartments  by  the  painting,  showing  throughout  a  decoration 
which  suggests  a  metallic  origin.  This  resemblance  is  all  the  more 
apparent  from  the  various  interlacings  and  borderings.  In  the 
latter  we  find  the  palm  tree  with  the  device  "Attempto",  (see  Fig.  5) 
frequently  repeated,  which  seems  to  point  to  the  reign  of  "Eberhard 
im  Bart",  but  the  painting  and  architecture  of  the  hall  undoubtedly 
belong  to  the  end  of  the  16'^  century.  The  visible  beams  of  the 
simply  decorated  ceiling  are  brownish  red,  but  the  narrow  compart- 
ments between  them  are  lightly  coloured.  Although  the  painting  is 
limited  to  few  colours  (brownish  red,  white,  gold  and  blue),  yet  it 
makes  a  beautiful  and  agreeable  impression. 


Fig.  I.   Spandril  on  wall  compartments. 
,,     2.   Panel  in  a  window  framing. 
,,     3  and  4.    Decoration  of  columns. 
,,     5.   Decoration  on  the  window  parapets. 
Fig.  6  and  7.   Middle  and  corner  pieces  at  the  friezes  bordering  the  wall  compartments. 
,,    S  —  II.   Decoration  on  the  ceiling  beams  with  wood  rosettes  in  relief. 
,,  12.   Wood  architrave. 

The  whole  from  the  Golden  Hall  at  Urach. 
„  13.   Vault  painting  from  the  cathedral  at  Graz. 


GERMAN  RENAISSANCE 


8-1 


CEILING  AND  WALL  PAINTING. 


FRAMES  AND  WORK  IN  PRECIOUS  METALS  WITH  ENAMEL. 


Plate  85 


German  Renaissance. 

Cartouches  and  Work  in  Precious  Metals  with  Enamel. 

The  forms  of  German  and  Italian  Renaissance  show  the  greatest  affinity  with  each  other  in  the  department 
of  works  in  precious  metals;  for  the  new  style  was  introduced  into  Germany  mainly  by  such  works;  the 
German  artists,  on  the  other  hand,  managed  to  attain  the  standard  of  the  Italian  goldsmiths'  productions 
not  only  as  regards  their  technical  perfection,  but  also  of  the  beauty  of  their  forms.  Southern  Germany 
especially  with  its  numerous  industrial  towns,  soon  became  a  centre  for  noted  workmen  in  precious  metals. 
Drinking  vessels,  table-services,  weapons,  rings,  girdles,  ornamented  pendants,  bracelets,  ecclesiastical  plate, 
etc.  gave  abundant  scope  for  rich  artistic  treatment.  However  it  must  be  mentioned,  that  the  tendency 
to  direct  imitation  of  nature,  especially  in  flowers  and  tendrils,  as  well  as  the  liking  for  peculiarities,  soon 
paved  the  way,  in  this  as  in  other  departments  of  art,  for  the  Baroque  style. 

How  much  cartouches  were  favoured  in  that  period,  may  be  inferred  from  their  application  to  the 
most  various  purposes.    (Fig.  i  and  2.) 


Fig.  I  and  2.    Cartouches  from  a  genealogical  tree  in  the  „Sammlung  vaterlandischer  Altertiimer" 

at  Stuttgart. 

„        3  —  17.    Divers  decorations  on  small  altars,  reliquaries  and  on  a  cross  from  the  treasury  of 

the  chapel  of  the  Royal  Residence  at  Munich. 
„       18  —  20.    Jewelled  crosses. 

„      21  —  23.    Buckles  on  a  sword-belt  from  parchment  drawings  by  Hans  Mielich. 

„  24.    Ornamental  pendant  from  the  „Sammlung  des  griinen  Gewolbes"  at  Dresden. 

„  25.    Lower  part  of  a  scabbard  by  Hans  Mielich. 

„  26.    Richly  enamelled  pendant  from  the  Museum  at  Budapest. 

„  27.    Border  from  a  plate  by  Virgile  Solis. 


Plate  86. 


XVII"^  and  XVIII'^  Centuries. 

Gobelin  Tapestry  and  Book-Binding. 

T 

J-o  supplement  Plate  71  we  give  here  a  Gobelin  carpet  with  landscape  back-ground,  (Fig.  i)  which  was 
intended  for  the  decoration  of  a  salon  at  the  Chateau  of  St.  Germain. 

In  this  line  work  we  admire  the  imaginative  composition  in  which  the  decorative  forms  of  architec- 
ture and  plants,  with  naturalistic  flowers,  surround  a  delicately  coloured  landscape.  The  artist  responsible 
for  this  design  was  the  painter  D'Espouy,  employed  by  Louis  XIV.,  and  he,  like  all  great  French  decorators 

of  that  period,  conformed  to  the  laws  and 
claims  imposed  by  the  technique  of  Gobelin 
weaving. 

Although  the  preparation  of  the  woven 
copy  demands  great  skill,  and  for  an  exact 
resemblance  to  the  original  a  masterhand  is 
necessary,  which  can  employ  the  most  effec- 
tual methods,  yet  we  must  also  remember  that 
the  perfection  of  this  "picture-weaving"  abso- 
lutely depends  on  the  excellence  of  the  paint- 
ing. At  the  same  time  the  painter  must  keep 
in  mind  the  necessity  of  suiting  his  design  to 
the  technical  processes  at  the  weaver's  com- 
mand, and  must  avoid  effects  onh-  attainable 
by  painting  in  oils.  If  these  rules  are  follow- 
ed the  resulting  fabric  will  have  an  artistic 
value  in  spite  of  all  temporary  changes  of  taste. 

Already  at  the  beginning  of  the  XVII ''^ 
century  the  most  celebrated  artists  did  not 
disdain  to  place  their  talent  in  the  service  of 
the  first  workshop  established  under  Henry  IV., 
and  afterwards  in  the  royal  manufactory.  The 
French  Government  even  succeeded  in  gaining 
for  its  manufacture  the  greatest  foreign  artists. 
The  beautiful  binding  from  the  time  of 

Louis  XV.  (Fig.  3)  reminds  us  of  the  forms  of 
big.  3.   Binding  with  the  Arms  of  Gaspard  Moise  de  Fontanieu  (1755). 

textile  work. 

Fig.  I.    Gobelin  tapestry  for  the  Chateau  of  St.  Germain,  designed  for  Louis  XIV.  by  D'Espouy. 
2.    Border  of  a  gobelin  carpet  made  for  Louis  XI V''^  rooms  at  Versailles,  designed  by  Noel 

Coy  pel. 

Fig.  I  and  2.   Drawn  by  N.  Vivien  of  Paris. 

.V   From  Blanc's  ,,Grammairc  des  Arts  Dccoratifs". 


GOBELIN-TAPESTRY. 


87. 


Fig.  6.    Frieze  by  Paul  Androuet  du  Cerceaii. 


Plate  87. 

XVII*  and  XVIIISi  Centuries. 

Embroidery,  Leather  Tapestry,  and  Goldsmith's  Work, 

our  plate,  the  period  of  the  decadent  Renaissance  and  the  dominion  of  the  succeeding  Rococo  and 
Baroque  styles  are  distinctly  characterized  by  the  naturalism  of  the  flowers,  the  intricate  lines,  the  restless 
motion  in  the  drawing  and  embroidering  in  Fig.  i,  as  well  as  more  particularly  by  the  tendency  for  a 
plastic  treatment  of  the  ornament. 

Fig.  3  belongs  to  the  actual  Rococo  period. 


Fig.  I.    Embroidery  from  the  "Sammlung  vaterlandischer  Altertiimer"  at  Stuttgart,  having 

formerly  served  as  a  hanging  over  an  altar  in  the  convent  church  at  Weingarten. 
„  2.    Embroidered  chasuble  from  the  same  collection. 

„  3.    Border  of  stamped  leather  hangings. 

,,    4  and  5.    Decorations  on  a  silver  drinking  cup,  partly  gilt,  from  a  reproduction  in  the  Hungarian 
"Landes-Kunstgewerbe-Museum"  at  Budapest. 


Plate  88. 


XVIIth-  and  XVIIIth,  Centuries. 

Metal  Work  and  Wood  Carving. 


T 

JLhe  Baroque  style,  which  originated  in  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV, 
first  took  the  form  of  a  development  of  the  Renaissance ,  but 
appropriated  to  itself  many  characteristics  of  ancient  work.  On 
the  whole,  especially  as  regards  ornament,  it  can  be  described 
as  grand  and  noble,  and  is  not  wanting  in  variety  and  change; 
it  suffers,  however,  from  extravagant  profusion,  even  to  heaviness. 

In  the  last  25  years  of  this  reign,  i.  e.  from  1690,  the 
time  of  Charles  Lebrun,  the  renowned  decorator,  there  began 
a  certain  transformation  in  this  style.  The  king,  weary  of  the 
great  ceremonials,  retired  into  close  family  life,  while  the  great 
banquets  at  Versailles  were  discontinued,  and  commissions  for 
extensive  decorative  works  kept  on  decreasing.  In  this  way 
the  demand  arose  for  a  less  ornate  and  formal  style,  better 
adapted  to  domestic  life. 

Hardouin  Mansart  tried  to  bring  about  a  revulsion  in 
this  direction,  but  the  change  was  only  clearly  felt  under  Robert 
de  Cotte,  1699,  and  from  this  point  a  lighter  and  freer  form 
of  ornament  is  noticeable. 


I'iy.  13.    I'lom  an  Engravini,'  by  Marot. 


Fig.     I — 7.    Ormolu    mounts    in    the  Royal  Bavarian 
Museum,  Munich.     (Louis  XIV  Period), 
„    8  —  12.    Various  French  wood-carvings.  Fig.  11  from 
the  Choir  stalls  of  Notre  Dame  at  Paris. 


METALWORK  AND  WOODCARVING. 


XVIII™  CENTURY 

89. 


MOSAIC  FLOORS 


Plate  89. 


XVIIIi  Century. 

Parquetry  or  Mosaic  floors. 


(^ur  plate  represents  some  floors  executed  in  a  very  original  manner  and  according  to  the  capricious 
style  of  art  which  extended  its  dominion  over  all  the  numerous  German  courts  during  the  epoch  in  question. 
We  do  not  find  the  customary  geometric  patterns  applied  to  these  inlaid  floors,  but  rather  grandly  composed 
designs,  displaying  full  life,  and  having  a  peculiar  charm  on  account  of  the  variously  coloured  woods,  especially 
where  floral  forms  are  represented. 

The  whole  of  the  patterns  illustrated  were  executed  by  Johann  Georg  Beyer,  cabinet-maker  to  the 
court  of  Wurttemberg  at  Stuttgart,  for  the  Chateau  of  Solitude,  near  Stuttgart,  built  by  Charles,  Duke  of 
Wurttemberg,  during  1763  — 1767.  Unfortunately,  only  a  small  portion  of  these  precious  floors  is  preserved 
at  the  present  day. 

The  original  drawings  are  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Beyer,  joiner  at  Ludwigsburg,  a  descendant  of 
the  above  named  cabinet-maker. 


Part  of  a  door  in  the  Musee  des  Arts  decoratifs,  Paris. 


Plate  90. 


XVII*  and  XVIIIi  Centuries. 

Plastic  Ornaments. 


A  glance  at  Plates  86—91  enables  us  to  recognize  plainly  the  characteristic  difference  between  the 
"Baroque",  "Rococo"  and  later  Styles,  termed  also  the  styles  of  Louis  Quatorze,  Louis  Quinze,  and  Louis  Seize. 

The  Louis  Quatorze  style  appears  first  as  a  development  of  Renaissance,  but  contains  many  antique 
motives.  On  the  whole  this  style  may  be  described  as  gorgeous  and  grand,  especially  as  regards  ornament; 
nor  is  it  devoid  of  change  and  variety,  but  sometimes  degenerating  into  luxurious  extravagance,  it  becomes 
overloaded.   Henceforth  shell-work  plays  a  great  role  and  scroll  work  in  the  corners  characterizes  the  borders. 

All  this,  undergoing  many  exaggerations  towards  the  close  of  the  long  reign  of  Louis  XIV.,  gives 
a  basis  for  the  development  of  the  Rococo  style,  which  predominated  under  the  reign  of  Louis  XV. 


Panel  decorations  at  door  and  window  niches  in  the  throne  room  of  the  Palace  at 

Fontainebleau.    (Style  of  Louis  XIV.). 
Projecting  relief  of  the  panel  in  the  Queen's  bed-chamber  in  the  same  Palace.  (Style 

of  Louis  XIV.). 

Wood  carving  from  a  wainscot  in  the  Chateau  de  Bercy.    (Style  of  Louis  XIV.). 
Capital  of  a  mirror  in  the  state-room  of  the  Hotel  de  Lauzun  at  Paris.  (Style  of  Louis  XIV.). 
Capital  designed  by  the  German  Master,  Paul  Decker.    (Style  of  Louis  XIV.). 
Capital  in  the  Salle  des  Medaillons  of  the  Palace  of  Versailles.    (Louis  XV.). 
Corner  of  a  mirror  frame  in  the  Queen's  bed  chamber  at  Versailles.    (Louis  XV.). 
Architectural  design  in  the  style  of  Louis  XV.    (After  A.  Rosis,  1753.) 


Fig.  9.    Vignette  designed  by  T.  Johnson,  Carver  (1761V 


Fiff.  I. 


3- 

.,  4. 
„  5. 
„  6. 


PLASTIC  ORNAMENTS. 


Plate  92 


XVIIP  Century. 

Painted  Plaster  Work. 


X, 


he  figures  of  our  plate,  as  well  as  figs.  2  of  PI.  91  and  fig.  6  of  93  show  the  nature  of  the  Rococo  style, 
and  the  method  b}'  which  it  was  carried  out  in  the  Ducal  castle  of  Bruchsal. 

If  these  examples  are  not  distinguish- 
ed by  the  highest  elegance  and  grace,  they 
are  at  least  of  characteristic  design  and  of 
specially  interesting  colouring.  While  in  the 
Rococo  style  as  a  rule  there  is  beside  white 
but  little  gold,  the  natural  portions  are  here 
very  gorgeously  executed,  and  produce  a 
very  charming  impression.  The  richness  and 
luxuriance  of  this  style  is  best  shown  by  the 
large  cornices  which  surround  the  ceilings 
(figs.  4  and  5  of  this  plate  and  fig.  2  of  91). 
At  the  same  time  the  ground  of  individual 
panels  is  kept  in  very  light  tones,  and  some- 
simes  gaily  painted  allegorical  subjects  are 
inserted.  This  kind  of  painting,  which  is 
often  over  plaster  in  relief,  is  carried  out  with 
such  nicety  that  separate  limbs,  such  as  feet 
and  arms  in  painted  plaster,  are  detached 
and  stand-out  from  the  painting  without 
disturbing  the  harmony  of  the  whole.  The 
centre  of  the  ceiling  is  used  for  hanging- 
groups  or  figures,  or  light  decoration  in 
plaster. 

The  furniture,  with  its  quaint  curves, 
adjoins  the  rich  wall-decorations,  and  seems 
to  rival  them  in  beautiful  effect. 

In  direct  contrast  to  the  fine  orna- 
mental scroll  work  of  Rococo  interiors  is  the 
simplicity  of  the  classical  severity  of  the 
exteriors  of  the  period. 


Fig.  6.  Panel  by  Francois  Boucher  (1703  — 1770). 


Figs.  I — 3.    Portions  of  carved  panelling  in  the  Ducal  Castle  of  Bruchsal. 
„     4—5-    Portions  of  plaster  ceiling  in  the  same  room. 

F'g-  '~5-    Drawn  by  H.  Eberhardt,  Stuttgart. 


PAINTED  PLASTERWORK 


Plate  93. 


XVIII!1L  Century. 

Gobelin  Tapestry. 

l^^efore  proceeding  to  consider  the  Gobelin  work  represented  on  this  plate,  we  will  take  a  glance  back 
at  the  period  of  Louis  XIV. 

The  most  productive  and  brilliant  period  of  Gobelin  manufacture  was  about  1660,  when  Colbert, 
the  able  minister  of  finance,  conferred  on  the  gifted  painter  Lebrun  the  direction  of  the  workshops  erected 
for  the  furniture  and  decoration  of  the  Royal  Castles.  Lebrun  could  not  have  succeeded  in  the  gigantic 
responsibilities  imposed  upon  him  by  his  numerous  undertakings,  had  he  not  understood,  like  no  other,  how 
to  direct  his  workmen  to  unite  their  efforts  to  accomplish  the  stupendous  tasks,  the  fulfilment  of  which  the 
vain  king  impatiently  awaited,  and  which  were  only  to  be  surmounted  by  skilful  division  of  labour.  Thus 
we  often  find  ten  painters  engaged  at  the  same  time  on  designs,  the  main  ideas  of  which  almost  always 
came  from  Lebrun,  and  it  is  also  noticeable  that  such  subject  as  flowers,  friezes,  landscapes,  hunting  scenes, 
musical  instruments  etc.  were  each  treated  by  a  specialist,  without  the  freedom  of  expression  in  the  design 
suffering  thereby. 

It  is  no  wonder,  therefore,  that  in  the  ensuing  period  under  Louis  XV  and  XVI  artists  such  as 
Watteau,  Boucher,  Tessier,  Jacques  and  others  should  have  taken  up  the  work,  or  that  they  were  certain 
of  a  triumph  in  the  pursuit  of  a  special  department  of  art.  For  instance,  if  we  observe  the  tasteful  manner 
in  which  Tessier,  the  king's  flower  painter,  could  group  his  flowers  and  fruit  in  characteristic  garlands,  and 
bouquets,  we  shall  not  hesitate  to  reckon  him  one  of  the  finest  flower-painters  of  the  French  school.  The 
details  here  represented,  from  important  works  by  this  master,  give  some  idea  of  his  marked  ability. 


Fig.  I .  Chair-seat  by  Louis  Tessier  (Louis  XV  period). 

.,     2.  Basket  of  fruit  by  the  same  Artist  (Louis  XV.). 

„     3.  Garland  „     „       „         ,,     (Louis  XV.). 

„     4.  Chair-back  by  Jacques  (Louis  XVI.). 

„     5.  Door-panel  (Louis  XVI.). 

Fig.  I — 5.    Drawn  by  W.Vivien,  Paris. 

Fig.       6.        „       „    E.  Eberhardt,  Stuttgart. 


Fig.  6.    Portion  of  carved  panelling  in  the  Castle  of  Bruchsal. 


Plate  94. 


XVni%  Century. 

Plastic  and  Painted  Ornaments. 


7 

opfstyle"  —  this  term  which  is  sometimes  mistaken  for  Baroque  or  even  Rococo,  signifies  merely  the  style 
(certainly  rather  barren  and  stiff  sometimes),  which  flourished  under  Louis  XVI.,  in  opposition,  as  it  were,  to 
the  pompous  and  confused  style  under  Louis  XV,  when  returning  to  the  antique. 

Compared  with  the  extravagances  of  Rococo,  the  quiet,  restrained  forms  of  the  Zopfstyle  produce 
a  feeling  of  satisfaction  unless,  as  is  often  the  case,  repose  degenerates  into  rigidness,  and  strictness  into 
barrenness. 


Fig.  7.  Frieze  by  Salambier. 


Fig.  I.    Wood  carving  on  a  wainscot  in  the  music  room  of  the  Arsenal  library  at  Paris  (Style 
of  Louis  XV.). 

„     2  and  3.    Carved  pilaster  from  the  wainscot  of  a  saloon  at  Paris.    (Style  of  Louis  XVL) 
,,     4.    Painted  frieze  from  the  boudoir  of  Queen  Marie-Antoinette  in  the  Palace  at  Fontaine- 
bleau.    (Style  of  Louis  XVL). 
5.    Panel  from  a  ceiling  of  a  saloon  at  Paris,  (ditto.) 
,,     6.    Carved-wall  panel  above  a  saloon  door  in  the  Hotel  de  Ville  at  Bordeaux,  (ditto. 


Fig.  8.  Vignette  from  Berthault  et  Bachelier  (1760). 
(Louis  XV). 


PLASTIC  AND  PAINTED  ORNAMENTS. 


XVIia  AND  XVIIia  CENTURIES 


95. 


Plate  95. 


XVIISl  and  XVIIIii  Centuries. 

Lace,  Weaving,  and  Embroidery. 

T 

JL  he  three  kinds  of  style,  referred  to  on  the  previous  plate,  exerted  a  wide  influence  on  the  ornamentation 
of  dwelling  rooms,  and  especially  on  the  decoration  of  all  articles  of  clothing.  Here  too,  marked  differences 
may  easily  be  discerned.  In  Figs,  i,  2  and  5  for  instance,  the  stricter  mode  of  idealising  points  still  to  a 
certain  connexion  with  the  Renaissance,  whilst  Figs.  5  and  6  and  especially  Figs.  4  and  7  manifest  the  in- 
creasing preponderance  of  naturalism. 


Fig.  I.  Lace  in  the  style  of  Louis  XIV.,  in  the  possession  of  C.  Baur,  at  Biberach. 

„  2.  Embroidery  on  a  silk  waistcoat.    (Louis  XIV.). 

„  3.  Embroidery  on  a  silk  coat  (Louis  XV.)  from  the  "Sammlung  vaterlandischer  Altertiimer' 
at  Stuttgart. 

,,  4.  Silk  embroidery  from  a  velvet  waistcoat  (Louis  XVI.)  from  the  same  Collection. 

„  5.  Silk  texture  from  a  chasuble.    (Louis  XIV.)  ditto. 

„  6.  Woven  silk  stuff  for  clothes.    (Louis  XV.)  ditto. 

„  7.  Woven  stuff  of  silk  and  wool.    (Louis  XVI.)  ditto. 


Fig.  8.    From  a  design  by  Ranson. 


Plate  96. 


XVIIIi  Century. 

Metal  Fittings, 


±he  love  of  splendour  common  to  all  French  sovereigns  of  the  XVII th  and  XVIII th  centuries  was 
especially  shown  in  the  decoration  of  furniture,  and  every  period  had  its  master,  who  proceeded  upon  new 
lines,  according  to  his  individual  taste  or  talent.  In  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV. ,  when  gigantic  and  luxu- 
riousl}'  fitted  rooms  were  in  vogue,  we  find  furniture  with  bold  mountings  of  bronze,  as  represented  on 
PI.  88,  Figs.  I — 7,  or  the  luxurious  creations  of  Boule,  the  famous  cabinet-maker  of  the  court,  which  he 
manufactured  from  ebony  with  bronze  fittings  and  fine  metal  inlay  on  a  tortoiseshell  ground  (PI.  72, 
Fig.  21  and  PI.  73,  Fig.  i).  This  gracefully-formed  and  effectively  coloured  furniture,  was,  however,  still 
more  appropriate  for  the  smaller  interiors  of  the  ensuing  period  (the  Regency  and  Louis  XV.).  The  colou- 
ring became  softer  and  rosewood,  mounted  in  bronze,  was  substituted  for  ebony.  (See  Fig.  16).  Here 
especially  the  great  talent  of  Charles  Cressent  celebrated  as   sculptor,  carver,  and   cabinet-maker  comes 


Fig.  16.    Desk  of  Louis  XV.  in  the  Louvre. 


into  play,  and  his  versatility  was  so  great  that  he  could  impart  to  his  work  a  uniform  and  very  unusual 
charm.  The  versatile  Mei.ssonier,  previously  mentioned  (PI.  91)  was  also  a  goldsmith  and  bronze-worker 
of  the  highest  reputation.  In  the  same  way  we  find  Jacques  Caffieri,  the  famous  sculptor,  founder,  and 
carver,  at  work  on  bronzes  which  he  very  tastefully  applied  to  furniture,  probably  in  conjunction  with 
Jean  Francois  Oeben,  the  court  cabinet-maker. 

The  figures  of  our  plate  show  a  collection  of  bronze  furniture  mountings  of  the  time  of  Louis  XVI., 
a  time  in  which  we  are  accustomed  to  see  delicate  decorations  of  a  fanciful  taste.  To  this  period  belongs 
the  ornament  in  which  swags  and  ribbons,  doves,  quivers,  torches,  and  all  kinds  of  trophies,  are  mingled 
into  an  agreeable  and  symbolic  whole. 

Figs.  I  — 15.    Ormolu  mounts   from   casts   in   the  collection   of  plaster   casts   in   the  Royal 
Technical  Institute,  Stuttgart. 


METAL  FITTINGS. 


COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  XIXI2  CENTURY 


1. 


WALL-  PAINTING  AND  CEILING-  DECORATION 


Plate  97. 


Commencement  of  the  XlXi  Century. 

Wall  Painting  and  Ceiling  Decoration. 

In  speaking  later  of  the  so-called  Empire  style,  we  must  be  understood  to  imply  the  transitional  style 
prevailing  from  the  close  of  the  Louis  XVI.  period  to  the  first  French  empire,  and  the  Empire  style  coming 

down  to  1 81 5.  Although  the  unsettled  political  condition  at 
the  end  of  the  XVIIIth  century  seriously  threatened  to  extinguish 
the  Arts  in  France,  yet  the  love  of  art  inborn  in  her  people 
sprang  from  the  chaos  of  the  revolution ,  and  caused  the 
national  leaders,  even  at  the  time  of  greatest  affliction,  to 
found  a  National  Museum  in  order  to  preserve  for  future  study 
the  finest  products  of  the  Arts  of  past  times.  By  this  step 
they  preserved  from  destruction  by  the  revolutionary  fanatics 
many  fine  works  of  art  which  tell  of  the  days  of  the  over- 
thrown monarchy. 

The  new  republicanism  was  destined  to  find  increasing 
expression  in  the  realm  of  art,  in  which  direction  a  tendency 
was  already  noticeable  in  the  style  of  Louis  XVI.  In  art 
the  craze  was  now  for  the  pure  Greek  and  Roman  styles, 
even  to  the  extent  of  reviving  the  dress  and  customs  of  these 
countries.  In  this  change  the  chief  part  was  taken  by  David, 
the  famous  painter,  who  was  closely  connected  with  politics, 
and  who,  under  the  administration  of  Napoleon  I.,  breaking 
with  the  old  order,  followed  the  style  in  which  Caesar  had 
lived.  Besides  David,  the  architect  Percier,  associated  with 
his  colleague  Fontaine,  often  applied  his  great  ability  to  all  departments  of  industrial  art.  This  new  French 
style  was  so  esteemed  that  it  was  soon  adopted  all  over  Europe. 


Figs.  I — 6.    Wall  and  ceiling  decorations  from  King  Frederick  I  work-room  in  the  castle  of 
Ludwigsburg. 


Fig.  7.    Ceiling  decoration  by  Basoli, 
from  a  photograph. 


Plate  98. 


Commencement  of  the  XIX*^  Century. 

Gobelin  Tapestry  and  Lace-work. 


' J^he  chief  subject  on  this  plate  (Fig.  i.)  bears  emphatic  testimony  to  the  fact  that  the  art  of  flower-painting 
had  descended  without  deterioration  from  the  time  of  Louis  XV.  and  XVI.,  when  the  work  of  Tessier,  Jac- 
ques and  others  had  attained  such  excellence,  down  to  the  days  of  the  first  Empire.  This  fine  design  is 
by  the  painter  Saint- Ange,  who  was  doubtless  engaged   in  the  Gobelin  manufactory,  but  whose  name, 

like  that  of  many  other  capable  artists  of  the  kind ,  is 
but  little  known,  and  would  have  been  completely  for- 
gotten, had  they  not  also  occupied  themselves  in  pre- 
paring designs  to  be  engraved  on  copper,  through  the 
publication  of  which  their  names  have  been  preserved. 

While  it  was  customary  until  the  end  of  the  XVIII 
century  to  treat  with  much  artistic  skill  the  frames  or 
borders  of  the  tapestries,  the  Empire  period  was  content 
with  reproducing  in  it  scenes  from  the  time  of  the  em- 
perors which  were  almost  devoid  of  decoration. 

It  is  interesting  to  compare  the  form  of  the  fruit 
basket  in  Fig.  i  with  those  in  Figs.  2  and  4  of  PI.  93, 
observing  how  the  freedom  of  the  age  of  Louis  XV.  changes 
in  the  following  period  to  a  more  rigid  and  formal  shape 
and  then  takes  that  stiff  form,  ornamented  with  classic 
splendour  usual  in  the  Empire  style.  The  position  which 
these  baskets  occupy  with  regard  to  their  method  of 
fixture  is  also  characteristic.  Those  of  the  two  first  periods  are  suspended  picturesquely  from  light  ribbons, 
while  the  later  example  rises  sedately  from  the  stiff  Roman  acanthus. 

The  successful  colouring  of  this  design  calls  for  special  praise,  as  counteracting  the  tendency  to 
(hill  colour  otherwise  noticeable  in  the  st\'le. 

With  regard  to  the  hangings  and  draperies  so  poi)ular  at  the  time  of  the  first  Empire,  we  here 
represent  characteristic  examples  of  the  period. 


I'  ig.  0.  l  abric  in  the  Garde-Meuble' collection  at  Paris. 
(From  a  photograph.) 


Fig.  1.    Panel  of  a  Screen  by  Saint-Ange. 

Figs.  2  -5.    Borders  of  silk  and  velvet  with  woven  tassels  from  draperies  in  the  Castle 
of  Ludwigsburg. 


COMMENCEMENT  OF  THE  XIX^^  CENTURY. 


GOBELIN  TAPESTRY  &  LACEWORK. 


METAL-ORNAMENTS. 


Plate  99. 


Empire  Style,  XIX*  Century, 

Metal  Ornaments. 


tendency  towards  classical  forms  of  art  very  noticeable  in  the  style  of  Louis  XVI.,  is  even  more 
evident  in  the  period  now  under  consideration. 

Furniture  chiefly  made  of  mahogany  is  adorned  with  pretty  bronze  ornaments,  and  this  gives  to 
their  somewhat  stiff  construction  a  graceful  form,  which  fully  merits  admiration. 

The  Napoleonic  wars  had  con- 
siderable influence  on  the  Empire 
style,  in  which  afterwards  were 
to  be  found  emblems  of  Victory, 
eagles,  laurel  wreaths  and  such  like. 
In  consequence  of  the  Egyptian 
campaign  new  decorative  elements 
were  adopted,  as  for  instance 
the  capitals  of  lotus  flowers, 
sphinxes,  winged  lions  and  other 
Egyptian  figures,  joined  sometimes 
to  Chinese  designs. 

This  enthusiasm  for  foreign 
forms  unfortunately  led  to  great 
errors  by  giving  furniture  the 
appearance  of  heavy  Egyptian  mo- 
numents, for  instance  writing  tables 
formed  like  pyramids  etc.,  it  being 
a  common  mistake  to  form  archi- 
tectural figures  and  ornaments  of 
wood  as  though  they  were  of 
stone.  But  in  spite  of  such  faults 
we  must  acknowledge,  that  at  this 
period  many  objects  of  industrial 
art  were  created  which,  even  if 
they  show  a  certain  dryness,  still 
please  us  by  the  really  noble  effect 
they  produce. 

The  illustration  to  this  text. 
Fig.  24,  shows  one  of  the  most 
prominent  pieces  of  French  furni- 
ture of  this  time  and  by  that  we 
are  able  to  comprehend  the  above. 

As  in  the  Styles  of  the  prece- 
ding century  ,  so  also  in  the 
Empire  style  the  new  French 
taste  very  soon  gained  admittance 
to  all  other  European  countries. 
Owing  to  this  circumstance  the 
King's  Palace  at  Stuttgart  contains 
a  very  large  number  of  examples  of 


Fig.  24. 


Jewel  case  of  the  Empress  Marie  Louise, 
by  the  ebonists  Jacob  Desmalter. 


the  most  beautiful  Empire  furniture,  of  which  the  greater  part  of  the  illustrations  on  our  plate  has 
been  taken. 

Most  interesting  is  the  appearance  of  naturalistic  ornamentation  beside  the  strictly  classical  style. 


Fig.  1—23.    Ormolu  mounts  on  furniture  in  the  King's  Palace  at  Stuttgart  and  from  the  public 
collection  of  Wurttemberg  antiquities  in  that  town. 


Plate  lOO. 


XVIIIti  and  XIX*:  Centuries. 

Silk  Tapestry, 

.1  he  silk  industr}',  which  flourished  in  France  as  early  as  the  XIV century  received  a  further  impetus 
in  the  XVII''' and  still  more  in  the  XVIII century  by  the  fashion  of  covering  the  walls,  and  upholstering 
the  furniture,  with  valuable  silk  fabrics.   This  fa.shion  was  also  helpful  to  the  still  older  German  silk  trade. 

To  supplement  the  few  silk  fabrics  of  the  time  of  Louis  XIV.,  XV.  and  XVI.  shown  on  Plate  95, 
we  give  similar  exam])les  of  the  transition  from  Louis  XVI.  to  the  Empire  style.  Figs,  i  and  2  are  noticeable 
as  inclining  to  the  first  style.  Apart  from  traces  of  Chinese  influence  we  have  here  the  graceful  swags 
and  floral  festoons,  the  vases,  cornucopiae  and  torches,  the  charming  and  dainty  lightness  of  which  are  so 
deliglitful  in  the  style  of  Louis  XVI.,  while  in  the  frecjuent  garlands,  palms  and  shields  we  notice  a  fore- 
shadowing of  the  style  of  the  first  Republic.  Similarly  in  Fig.  3  the  natural  flowers  remind  us  of  the  earlier 
period,  while  the  rest  of  the  figure  and  Figs.  4,  5,  6,  and  7  are  decidedly  'Empire'  in  feeling. 


Figs.  I — 7.    From  specimens  in  the  Royal  Museum  at  Stuttgart. 


I'ig.  8.    Wall-paper  design  (from  a  photograph). 


SILK  TAPESTRY. 


